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The 2009 Gruaud Larose is blended of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Merlot. Medium to deep garnet colored, it charges forth with warm black raspberries, crème de cassis and redcurrant jelly notes with touches of potpourri, cigar box, new leather, hoisin and molten chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with black fruits and savory layers with a firm, grainy texture and seamless freshness lifting the long earth-laced finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA spicy and fat rich wine, atypical of Bordeaux. There is grip and depth of flavour here with blackcurrant coulis and some lovely menthol edging. A balanced wine. (Drink between 2016-2024)Decanter | 90 DEC

Aromas of cocoa powder and currants, follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a juicy, berry and chocolate aftertaste. Lovely polish to this. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSA firm, complex wine, solidly based on ripe tannins, dark flavors. There is some spice and juiciness to fit with the dense tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA well structured wine with smoke and cedar edging to the aromatics, a generous, ripe fruit structure and soft, well-integrated tannins. It has clear appeal. At this stage, the 2005 seems to better encapsulate the heart of St-Julien but the 2009 offers an extremely enjoyable wine, even if less typical of the appellation. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036Decanter | 93 DEC(Château Talbot) Our sample at the UGC tasting at Branaire-Ducru was a bit reduced, but not enough so as to impact one’s ability to get a read on the wine. The nose underneath is a classic Talbot, with its black fruity mélange of cassis, dark berries, cigar ash, soil, woodsmoke and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite soil-driven, with fine focus, a very good core of fruit, and a properly reserved, long and ripely tannic finish. A fine success for the vintage. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 90-92 JGExtremely sexy, soft, supple and opulent, with notes of cedar, herbs, incense and black currant fruit, this is a full-bodied, generously endowed but silky Talbot to drink now and over the next 20+ years. By any standard of measurement, this is irresistible.Robert Parker | 91 RPDark plum and blueberry compote notes lead the way, followed by dark cocoa and tobacco. A fleshy feel runs throughout, with a stony edge adding length and balance on the finish. Best from 2013 through 2021.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2009 Talbot has a much more modest bouquet than the Gruaud Larose, missing the same horsepower and fruit concentration, airy in style, attractive but not as memorable as others. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, and a fine bead of acidity. Quite linear and conservative but with satisfying precision on the finish. It is a classic Talbot that should give 25 to 30 years of pleasure, though not the best amongst its peers. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. A strong performance from Batailley under blind conditions, easily surpassing its showing at the UGC in London last year. The 2010 has a very elegant bouquet with blackberry, cedar and leather, well defined and very nicely focused, though not the most vigorous amongst its peers. The palate is very well balanced with filigree tannins, perfectly judged acidity and a very appealing "classic" style of Pauillac very the top drawer. What a superb Pauillac - a benchmark Batailley. Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP-NM(Château Batailley, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Well-integrated 55% new oak and a great vintage from this 60ha estate, reflecting the precision in vineyard selection and winemaking that has only improved as second and third wines have been introduced. Fresh and refined, evoking subtle power, yet with a smooth texture, like satin. Sensual cassis, kirsch and forest strawberry jam aromatics. Try with roast quail in rosemary and thyme. (Drink between 2021-2050)Decanter | 95 DECAromas of freshly sliced mushrooms and dark fruits. Full body, with an incredible depth of fruit and finesse here. The tannins are amazing quality. Love the texture. Give it four to five years of bottle age.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2010 Batailley has a vivacious, outgoing and quintessentially Pauillac nose with blackberry, mint and graphite bursting from the glass and demanding attention! The palate is medium-bodied with ample black fruit laced with graphite, sage and cracked black pepper. Wonderful depth and grip here, fanning out nicely towards the finish where there is a soupçon of oak still to be subsumed, therefore give this another three or four years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 94 VMWith advice from consultant and Bordeaux University professor Denis Dubourdieu, Batailley has improved immensely in the past few years. This 2010 reinforces that trend, revealing a wine that is structured with Cabernet Sauvignon and is attractive with black currant fruitiness. Age for the medium-term.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis sports suave, mocha-infused toast, showing notes of dark plum, blackberry sauce and steeped fig. The dense, cocoa-coated finish has a smoldering tobacco note in the background. Rustic and slightly chewy in the end, but a bit of cellaring should tame this easily. Best from 2014 through 2026.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The wine needs a good 7-10 years of cellaring and should keep for 30 more years, but this is the finest Cantemerle I have encountered in my professional career of tasting young vintages (dating back 34 years now). Stunningly deep ruby/purple, with a beautiful nose of spring flowers intermixed with perfumed raspberry and blueberry notes, it exhibits a sort of cool-climate character. Broad, rich and intense on the palate, the wine has plenty of tannins, but they are sweet and well-integrated. Everything is delicately entwined into this beautiful, medium to full-bodied, dense purple wine, which shows stunning character and a prodigious potential for development. This is definitely a major sleeper of the vintage and even better than I thought from barrel. With its 2010, this classified growth located in the southern end of the Medoc may well have made a modern-day version of their legendary 1949.Robert Parker | 94+ RPA wine with blueberry and mineral aromas follows through to a full body, with fine tannins and a juicy finish. Best for years from here. Needs at least three years of bottle age to soften. Could be better than 2009 in the long run.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2010 Cantemerle is vigorous and open on the nose, a mixture of red and black fruit with cedar and humidor scents. I admire the focus and detail. The palate is rounded in texture on the entry. This is a plumper, richer, more fruit-driven 2010 with a lush finish on the context of the growing season. You could broach this now, although I would prefer to leave it another three or four years. This is another excellent wine and candidate for most over-performing cru this vintage. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 93 VMPlush dark fruit in aroma and flavour, with plenty of extract and a firm tannic base, yet smooth and slick in texture. Still a touch chewy; leave a while. Drinking Window 2019 - 2029.Decanter | 92 DECA great success for this southern Médoc chateau, this is fine, elegant and perfumed. It bursts with a black fruit flavor, balanced by smooth tannins and acidity. It’s a wine for medium-term aging over the next six years.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEOffers a sappy feel, with deliciously pure notes of kirsch and blackberry preserves. Lightly toasted spice and singed anise accents lead to the long, graphite-fueled finish. Should age gracefully.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2010 Capbern Gasqueton is a wine that I never tasted en primeur. It has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, tobacco, dried blood and loamy aromas that vie for attention, all served up with impressive delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, a lovely rondeur here that counterbalances the structure of the vintage. Gentle grip, good body and backbone with plenty of stuffing on the finish, this is an excellent long-term and delicious Saint-Estèphe. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 93 VMMature with enveloping dark fruits and lots of menthol, eucalypt and spice. Ultra-ripe fruit dominates the palate, but there is plenty of acidity and tannic grip to provide balancing structure.Vinous Media | 93 VMHeavily dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a big, bold, black wine, full of immense, smoky tannins. It has a rich structure, followed by deliciously juicy acidity. The dry tannins of Saint-Estèphe are well cushioned by the rich fruit.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis shows lovely depth of fruit and fine tannins. Lots of subtle fruit with spices, cedar, and berry. Hints of chocolate. The texture is gorgeous. Same producers as Calon Segur. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

Deep rich fruit aromatics on the nose, and a lovely plum colour that is holding firm, barely bricking around the edges. This proves once again that this is just a stellar vintage in Bordeaux, delivering on both banks. It’s high in alcohol and maybe a bit of a gamble to decide when to drink to make the most of the fruit before the alcohol flattens things out on the finish. But, there is definitely depth and width here with dark bitter chocolate notes and frm tannins - plenty to recommend. 50% new oak, harvest September 29 to October 19.Decanter | 93 DECWow. This is unknown with walnut, dark chocolate and dark fruit. Full body, Juicy and sexy. Velvety. Drink now. James Suckling | 93 JSChauvin produces a stylish wine, always exhibiting plenty of black cherry fruit intermixed with garrigue notes as well as hints of spice box and Christmas fruitcake in a medium to full-bodied, elegant yet savory and expansively textured style. The 2010 has a precociousness that gives it an up-front, sexy appeal, but then clamps down on the palate as the tannins begin to accumulate in the wine’s finish. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 25.Robert Parker | 90 RP

This is so good already. What an amazing precision of fruit for this wine, with a blackberry and blueberry character as well as minerals. Full and super silky with lovely fruit. Gourmand. Tasty. I want to drink it. Always great value!James Suckling | 92-93 JSFully saturated inky-ruby. Somewhat oak-dominated on the nose presently, with aromas of red cherry, rose petal, graphite and brown spices. Rich and lush but less obviously fruit-driven than usual in this vintage, combining sweeter mocha and earth tones with ripe delicate dark fruit flavors. The slightly granular, mounting tannins will need several years of bottle aging, but there’s enough depth of fleshy fruit here to reassure me. Vinous Media | 89-92 VMVery lush and expressive, with caressing plum sauce, mulled blueberry and blackberry fruit and melted licorice and warm fruitcake flavors, all gliding together through the finish. Offers lovely range and a seductive mouthfeel. Drink now through 2019. Wine Spectator | 92 WSFrom the brilliant proprietor Stephan von Neipperg, the 2010, a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc that hit 15% natural alcohol, is ripe and intense but exhibits good minerality and freshness as well as lots of blueberry and blackberry fruit, with hints of charcoal, licorice and asphalt. Rich and full-bodied, with no hard edges, this wine should drink beautifully for 10 or more years.The good news for consumers is that there are over 11,500 cases of this wine, which was produced from the plateau of Saint Philippe d’Aiguilhe, planted on pure limestone and clay.Robert Parker | 91 RP

Another sensational effort from Philippe Dhaluin, the administrator of Mouton Rothschild, this blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot shows complex floral notes intermixed with forest floor, camphor, black currants and mulberries that all jump from the glass of this aromatic style of d’Armailhac. This wine possesses very good acidity, a surprisingly higher percentage of Merlot than usual, but the quality is impressive, and the good news is that there are 20,000 cases of this full-bodied beauty, which should age nicely for 15-20+ years.Robert Parker | 93 RPDense, juicy and inviting, with bouncy briar, blackberry, steeped black currant and melted black licorice notes framed by roasted apple wood and graphite notes. The finish courses along with good definition. Energetic and tempting, but the gripping, iron-laden finish will benefit from cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 93 WSPolished and very fine with pretty fruit and berry structure. Full and silky with a delicious finish. It’s so good now to drink but has depth and structure. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2010 d’Armailhac seems to be opening nicely on the nose with scents of raspberry, cranberry, brown spices and an underlying ferrous element. Good definition. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and well judged acidity. This feels harmonious and smoother in texture than many of its peers, tobacco and black pepper towards the finish. This is ready for business and should drink well over the next decade. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 91 VMAs the ten year moment clicks over, Armailhac is looking pretty ready to drink, still showing firm tannins and plenty of fruit, but it is more open than many Pauillacs in the vintage at this point, and doesn’t seem to hold the same self-belief in its ageing ability. A dusty earth character that feels comfortingly old school, this sums up a lovely, balanced claret in its drinking window, sure to continue for another decade or more but it is not built powerfully, and struggles to deliver true appellation typicity. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038.Decanter | 91 DECThis is a wine that’s full of blackberry flavor, with elegant fruitiness and sweet tannins. It may miss the firm structure of the vintage, but it makes up for that with its forward, ripe fruitiness.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Good medium ruby. Blackcurrant, violet and a dusty mineral note on the deep nose. Dense, lush and chewy, offering, pure, precise dark berry and floral flavors. Finishes broad, saline and very long, with a density of texture and a degree of fruit concentration that I have never before found in De Sales--and that I didn’t even think was possible in view of this estate’s very sandy soils. Without doubt the best wine ever made by owner Bruno de Lambert. Well done.Vinous Media | 90 VM

A chewy red, with blackberry and blueberry character and polished tannins. Full, with a solid core of fruit. Serious finish. Balanced and attractive.James Suckling | 91-92 JSThis second wine of Château Durfort-Vivens is ripe, firm and well structured. Beautiful ripe black currant and berry fruits are cut with intense acidity. From the great 2010 vintage, it is solid, dense and full of fruitiness as well as tannins. It still does need to age, so drink from 2017.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WERather briary, with an energetic feel to the crushed blackberry, loganberry and mulberry fruit, laced with bay leaf and iron, and backed by a long, perfumy finish that offers good latent grip. Best from 2014 through 2027. — JMWine Spectator | 91 WS

A juicy wine with strawberry and blueberry character. It’s full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a fresh finish. Lots of ripe fruit. Excellent second wine of Lynch-Bages. Better in 2015.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2010 Echo de Lynch Bages has a very attractive bouquet, a mélange of red and black fruit tinged with damp loam and undergrowth aromas, all well defined and adding welcome floral scents with continued aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins. Hints of graphite and bell pepper infuse the ample black fruit. There is superb weight and body towards the finish. A classic Claret from start to finish, this is a great wine in the making. I was shocked and pleased when the identity of this wine was revealed (incidentally one that I had not encountered previously.). Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis displays a solid core of cassis, raspberry and blackberry coulis notes, framed by a rather polished structure and lined with lightly toasted apple wood and anise notes. Offers good definition, with a violet note chiming in on the finish. A sleek, elegant Pauillac that relies more on purity than muscle. Best from 2014 through 2023.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

A unique wine with iodine, red seaweed, mineral and dried fruits with hints of figs. Baslamic. You can feel the warmth of the volcanic soil. Full body with soft and silky tannins. Stylish and characterful. Better in a year or two. You need to try this.James Suckling | 98 JSI hope one day to have another chance to taste a vertical of Roccamonfina Terra di Lavoro because I have a strong feeling the 2010 will occupy a place among the very finest vintages produced on this tiny vineyard on the slopes of the Roccamonfina volcano. An exotic mélange of tar, smoke, graphite, blackberry jam and savory herbs explode from the glass. The 2010 is intense and full-bodied, yet also incredibly elegant. A big, breathtaking wine, the 2010 continues to build all the way through to a deeply resonant, expressive finish. I would choose to leave this uttterly beguiling Campanian red alone for the better part of a decade, but readers are going to have a very hard time excercising that patience. This is a fabulous effort from proprietors Arturo and Dora Celentano, and their long-time winemaker Riccardo Cotarella.Vinous Media | 97+ VMThe 2010 Roccamonfina Terra di Lavoro shows all the qualities of an excellent vintage. This is a pure and balanced wine that opens in a slow and seductive manner. The expressive bouquet shows layers of balsam herb, licorice, dark fruit, earth and crushed mineral. In fact, those volcanic Roccamonfina nuances are most distinctive in this beautiful vintage. The 2010 vintage also offers a generous quality of full and round fruit that sets it apart. This is a wine of great intensity, beauty and balance. It has many more years ahead to complete its evolution.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA dark, beefy red, with layers of game, underbrush and wild herb to the dark blackberry, cassis and plum skin notes. Full yet fine tannins add grip, as the fruit and hints of mocha and ash highlight the finish. Best from 2014 through 2025. 5,500 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis hearty blend of Aglianico and Piedirosso offers a compelling bouquet that is as savory and rich as it is elegant and composed. Dusty notes of crushed stone and dried fruit hold the wine together and give it momentum. The mouthfeel is bone dry, with loads of dark prune and tobacco flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

A wine with blueberry and chocolate with hints of hazelnut. Full body, with velvety tannins and a polished finish. This is intense yet very fine. Very pretty young Bordeaux. Try after 2016.James Suckling | 93 JSThis blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot is an up-front, seductively styled Pauillac (one of the more forward and evolved wines from this appellation in 2010). Deep purple, with exceptionally subtle texture and oodles of cassis fruit as well as hints of mocha and white chocolate, it is an elegant wine, but the overall impression is one of considerable flesh, fat and succulence. It will be hard to resist now, but can be cellared for another 15+ years.Robert Parker | 92 RPFeatures loam, dark chocolate and steeped plum and black currant fruit, staying polished overall, with a singed apple wood note integrated through the solid finish. Shows excellent typicity. Best from 2015 through 2028. 7,666 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSTough at the moment, this is a wine with impressive concentration. It’s solid and chunky, with massive structure. The fragrant finish is a sign of the pleasure to come.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

A balanced young wine, with smoky, blackberry and chewy aromas and flavors. Full and velvety, with a fresh finish.James Suckling | 92-93 JSDeep garnet in color, the 2010 Haut Bages Liberal is a bit subdued to begin, unfurling to offer glimpses at mature stewed plums and warm figs scents with touches of mossy tree bark, unsmoked cigars and truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers lovely freshness and well-managed, approachable tannins, finishing on a mineral note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe wine from this chateau, whose vines touch those of Latour, is solid and dense, with a sense of severity that is often the hallmark of this fifth growth. It is dark and the fruits whisper in the distance. This needs to age for several years. Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEThe 2010 Haut-Bages Libéral does not quite convey the same lift on the nose as its peers, not as cohesive. There is a very slight metallic element underneath the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, good acidity, plenty of tertiary black fruit with a liberal sprinkling of cracked black pepper on the slightly raw finish. Fresh, but I was expecting more from this cru. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 90 VMDark in profile and rather stolid, with a beam of currant, plum and fig allied to a prominent iron shaft that clamps down on the charcoal-textured finish. Showing rather austerely today, but has the length and cut to develop in the cellar. Best from 2015 through 2025. 8,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WSThe 2010 Château Haut-Bages Libéral is a ripe and powerful example of this consistently fine estate, as the wine weighs in at 13.7 percent alcohol in this vintage. However, the wine shows no signs of overripeness on either the nose or palate, as it delivers a bouquet of cassis, sappy black cherries, cigar smoke, soil, espresso and cedary new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish and impressively pure, with a fine core of fruit, moderate tannins, tangy, well-integrated acids and very good length and grip on the nascently complex finish. A fine example. (Drink between 2020 - 2050)John Gilman | 90+ JG

From Helene Garcin, this blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot displays classic tobacco leaf and smoky barbecue notes along with rich black currants and crushed rocks in a medium to full-bodied, seductive, attractively up-front style. Some Asian plum sauce is also noticeable in this complex, evolved and delicious wine, which can be drunk over the next 10-15 years. It is a sleeper of the vintage.Robert Parker | 92 RP91-93 Fresh, citrus and spicy pear flavors, a wine laced with acidity, a crisp texture and elegant bright aftertaste.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEOffers lush fruit, with dark raspberry and boysenberry notes, good, graphite-laced structure and bright acidity weaving throughout. The long, smoldering finish features an appealing licorice snap and violet profile. Best from 2015 through 2025. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThis is a wine that shows lots of chocolate, tobacco and currants. Full body, with velvety tannins and a long finish. All there.James Suckling | 92-93 JSGood dark ruby-red. Wild aromas of black cherry, incense and sexy oak. Smooth, plush and rich, with rather full-bodied flavors of plum, tobacco, flowers, minerals and herbs. The sweet finish features a fine dusting of tannins that will not get in the way of enjoying this wine soon.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Rioja Alta at its luxurious best. Aromatically it’s all truffle, sweet spices and red flowers, then in the mouth there’s a refreshing note of cherry, redcurrant, acidity. A rasp of tannin gives added interest and there's a resounding finish. The Tempranillo comes from the Rioja Alta zone, and the Garnacha from the La Pedriza vineyard in Rioja Oriental. Three years in American oak, with six rackings. The first Ardanza Selección Especial since 2001, 1973 and 1964. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECDried cherries, cedar, sandalwood, tar, treacle tart, cinnamon and vanilla. Medium body, fine-grained and very silky tannins for a wine of almost 10 years of age, bright and transparent acidity and a long, very spicy finish. Like going back in time and touching an ornate tapestry. The texture is mesmerizing. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2010 Viña Ardanza Selección Especial Rioja Reserva is an absolute blinder. The blend comprises 80% Tempranillo from the La Cuesta and Montecillo vineyards and 20% Grenache from the La Pedriza vineyard in Rioja Baja. It was picked mid-October, aged for 36 months in four-year-old American oak (six months less for the Grenache) and bottled in 2015. It was so highly regarded by the team at La Rioja Alta that they deemed it “Selección Especial” instead of “Reserva Especial.” The bouquet is like an old friend inviting you into their home. Crushed strawberry, leather and a touch of game are all beautifully defined, and after an hour the nose became increasingly Burgundy in style. That Burgundy theme translates across to a palate that is supremely well balanced and so harmonious that it was almost too easy to drink. There are hints of chestnut and shavings of black truffle on a finish that fans out gently. This is a finely crafted and irresistible Rioja Reserva from one of the region’s best producers, and frankly, I will not taste a bottle that represents better value for money than this: cases of 12 at just over £200 in bond.Vinous Media | 96 VM2010 was a great vintage in Rioja in general and seems to be exceptional here, with a 2010 Viña Ardanza Selección Especial (what used to be Reserva Especial) that can challenge any of the recent vintages and hopefully can develop in bottle to reach the heights of years like 1973 or 1964. The wine is expressive, aromatic, very elegant and clean, with classical Rioja aromas of long aging in barrel and slow oxidation through the years in wood. The palate is polished and sleek but shows plenty of energy, with very fine, mostly resolved tannins and very good harmony and persistence. There is great complexity, and you could start smelling spice and smoke to move to earthy tones, hints of beef blood, cherries in liqueur, curry, diesel, old furniture and forest floor. A great Viña Ardanza! They have managed to produce 600,000 bottles of this—and apparently in one single lot. It was bottled in May 2015.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPPolished and graceful, balanced and lively, this red offers cherry, dried strawberry, cedar, spice and vanilla flavors that mingle over light, firm tannins and orange peel acidity. The silky texture and juicy flavors find a graceful middle ground between the traditional and modern styles. Tempranillo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2025. 50,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Viña Ardanza Rioja “Reserva Selección Especial”- La Rioja Alta (Rioja Alta)) The 2010 Viña Ardanza Rioja “Selección Especial” from La Rioja Alta is made of its customary blend of tempranillo and garnacha, but in 2010, the garnacha was sourced from a very stony vineyard in Rioja Baja, rather than from vineyards in Rioja Alta sub-region. The wine’s blend ended up being eighty percent tempranillo and twenty percent of this Rioja Baja-sourced garnacha, with the tempranillo component aged for three years in four year-old American oak barrels, and the garnacha component aged for two and a half years in two and three year-old American casks. The 2010 Ardanza Selección Especial is darker in color this year, probably from the inclusion of Rioja Baja fruit in the blend, and offers up an excellent bouquet of plums, black cherries, cigar wrapper, toasted coconut, a touch of spice, a fine base of soil tones and a gentle savory topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and velvety, with a superb core of fruit, lovely soil signature, moderate, buried tannins and excellent length and grip on the ripe and complex finish. This is a superb bottle of Ardanza that will make old bones, but is so well-balanced at this relatively young age that it is not going to be easy to keep one’s hands off of bottles in the cellar! (Drink between 2019-2060).John Gilman | 93 JGA rusty color and classic Ardanza aromas of dry spice, fallen leaves, charred beef, tobacco and herbs announce a proprietary Rioja. Typical raciness and blazing acidity drive the palate, while spicy red berry and currant flavors are backed by dry oak. Only on the finish does this soften, with a hint of raisin coming out. Drink now through 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

The 2010 La Tour du Pin is showing incredibly well. A blend of 75% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc from just over 17 acres, this wine is a sleeper of the vintage. It offers up loads of blueberry, black raspberry and boysenberry fruit, stunning opulence, freshness and precision, despite its flesh and fat. Pure, fragrant and -open for business,- so to speak, this is a gorgeous wine to drink over the next 10-15 years.Robert Parker | 93 RPThis shows a wonderful nutty character with chocolate. It’s round and soft with a beautiful texture. Wonderful character of jasmine and cocoa powder. Delicious now but wait for four or five years. This is the best wine from here ever. From same owners and team as Cheval Blanc. Mostly Merlot. Try in 2016.James Suckling | 93 JS(3.7 pH; 85 IPT; 14% alcohol) Deep ruby. Fresh aromas of blackcurrant, boysenberry and violet. Enters the mouth tart and fresh, with lively flavors of red berries and minerals, then finishes long and bright, with smooth tannins and a hint of raspberry syrup. This compact, flavorful wine seems to be the most successful La Tour du Pin of the last three vintages. Owned by Cheval Blanc, and made by the same team, this wine was formerly called La Tour du Pin-Figeac.Vinous Media | 87-90 VM

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Lafon-Rochet comes bounding out of the glass with sit-up-and-beg notes of crème de cassis, blackberry pie and blueberry preserves followed by suggestions of Chinese five spice, potpourri and tilled soil. Full-bodied and concentrated, with loads of black and blue fruit layers, it has a rock-solid backbone of grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2010 Lafon-Rochet offers ample black and red fruit on the nose, undergrowth and figgy notes developing with aeration, quite open and more expressive than some of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, good structure, just a touch of piquancy with a very faint metallic note on the finish that will dissipate with time. This is one of the greatest Lafon-Rochet releases in recent years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 93 VMWith the release of this hugely tannic wine, this serious chateau—under the direction of the Tesseron family, which also owns Château Pontet-Canet—continues its recent upward progress. The structure currently hides opulent fruit that holds great promise for the future. With both power and richness, there’s a long life ahead.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEFeatures a dark currant and blackberry coulis core, surrounded by charcoal, singed savory and light coffee notes. The solid, firm, taut finish should let this linger in the cellar for a decade. Best from 2014 through 2024. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Wonderful aromas of currants and blackberries with hints of spices. Full body, with fabulous tannins and a long and creamy texture to the finish. I love the depth of fruit to this. Best ever from here. Great value for the vintage. Try in 2017.James Suckling | 95 JSAlthough this wine has tannins, it's the fruit that shines, with its delicious black-currant flavor and acidity. It is more fine and elegant than it is powerful, a pleasant surprise from Saint-Estèphe in this vintage For medium-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEDeep garnet colored, the 2010 Ormes de Pez slips sensuously from the glass with seductive blackberry pie, Black Forest cake and kirsch scents plus nuances of candied violets, hoisin, dark chocolate and licorice. Full-bodied, rich and plush in the mouth, it has a fantastic line of freshness lifting all the decadent fruit to a long, energy-sparked finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPA more open, ready to drink and less muscled wine than many others in this lineup, but it valiantly holds its own, and offers a great deal of pleasure at this 10 year window. Ready to drink and welcoming with a fruit character that is a juicy frank blackberry rather than the tight, concentrated cassis that you find in many. A good choice for medium term drinking, with the confidence of the vintage. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038Decanter | 91 DECThe 2010 Les Ormes de Pez has a ripe and fruit-driven bouquet with tons of wild strawberry, cranberry and undergrowth notes, well defined if not quite as complex as its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins. Good acidity, nicely proportioned with a touch of spice on the finish, this constitutes one of the more approachable Saint-Estèphe wines, with the substance to suggest that it will drink over the next 10-15 years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 91 VMDark and winey, with good damson plum, black currant and mulled spice notes pushed by a tangy iron note and flecks of savory and chalk on the finish. The judicious toast lets the pure fruit drive along. Best from 2015 through 2025.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

One of the stand outs of the vintage, Lisini's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino fleshes out in all directions with gorgeous, expansive richness. The flavors are dark, bold and incisive, yet backed up by notable freshness. A crescendo of incredibly pure dark red and black stone fruits builds on the huge finish. The 2010 is dazzling, but readers will have to be patient.Vinous Media | 95 VMA silky and refined wine with pepper, spice and berry character. Full body, fine and dense tannins and a juicy finish. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSLisini's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino opens to dark concentration and extraction. On first nose, it shows floral aromas of pressed rose and violet, but after a few minutes in the glass the wine begins to offer dark cherry, dried blackberry, Indian spice, teriyaki sauce, crushed mineral, licorice and cola. Its personality bridges aspects of both elegance and power. The 2010 vintage offers a very beautiful interpretation for Carlo Lisini Baldi. The mouthfeel is extremely soft and supple. It delivers pretty end notes of dusty mineral and clay earth. This delicious wine has nowhere to go but forward.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBright, evoking pure cherry and strawberry flavors, with light touches of earth, briar and tobacco in the background. Juicy and elegant, firming up on the long, tea- and iron-accented aftertaste. Best from 2018 through 2030. 2,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBroad fresh and sweetly smoky. Pure Floral and mineral red berry aromas give plenty of life. Good tannin structure with spices; complex and full bodied, should develop. Drinking Window 2017 - 2026.Decanter | 90 DECEarthy aromas of violet, mature berry, sage, tilled soil and a funky note of game lead the nose. The funky note carries over to the palate along with dried plum and white pepper. Youthfully austere tannins provide the backbone.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Rose petal and ripe fruits on the nose. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a citrus undertone. Lemon rind texture. Juicy and delicious. Give it a year or two to soften. 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc, aged 15 months in French barrels.James Suckling | 90 JS

The 2010 Meyney is a superb follow-up to the 2009, perhaps displaying more definition to the dusky black fruit, sous-bois, graphite and pressed rose petal scents that burst from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, a clean line of acidity and more precision on the finish compared to the previous vintage. Excellent. Tasted at a vertical at Château Meyney.Vinous Media | 92 VMA wine with a pretty balance of spices, blackberry, mint, and ripe fruit follow through to a full body, fine tannins and a spicy, chocolate and walnut character. Pretty balance of fruit and tannins. Better in 2016.James Suckling | 92 JSIt is good to see this well-situated estate in St.-Estephe get back on track. The 2010 has loads of beef blood, charcuterie and smoked game along with black currant fruit. Some underlying graphite notes are also present in this full-bodied, meaty, fleshy wine, which has outstanding concentration and the potential to last for 15 or more years. It is a major sleeper of the vintage.Robert Parker | 90 RPSolid, if a bit chunky in feel, with a slightly squared-off charcoal and ganache frame surrounding a core of dark plum, black currant and licorice root. Shows more austerity than flesh, but displays outstanding length and cut. This has added lots of grip in élevage. For fans of the taut style. Best from 2016 through 2026. 11,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2010 Montevetrano is flat-out gorgeous. Vibrant, floral aromatics lead to layers of beautifully delineated fruit in this finely sculpted chiseled Montevetrano. A wine of extraordinary beauty, the 2010 impresses for its clarity and nuance. I don’t think I have ever tasted a young Montevetrano with this much pure silkiness and finesse. There is a level of precision and delineation in the 2010 that is truly marvelous. I can’t wait to see how it ages. The 2010 is also notable for a much higher percentage of Aglianico (30%) than has been common in the past, while the international varieties are less prominent in the blend. In 2010 Montevetrano is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Aglianico and 20% Merlot, which means the Cabernet Sauvignon now plays a much smaller role in the blend.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Purity of dark fruits such as blueberries and blackberries with hints of flowers. Full body, with silky tannins and a juicy finish. Chewy yet polished. Try in 2017.James Suckling | 92 JSA complex wine that shows its power through a subtle mix of tannins and solid fruits. It has the freshness as well as the structure of the vintage. Definitely for aging.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE