Shop Wine

wines

The 1981 stood out as slightly superior. Winemaker John Duval always felt this was a tannic style of Grange, but the wine has shed its tannins, and this is one of the few vintages where the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon was above 10%. Sweet notes of creme de cassis, cedarwood, charcoal, and barbecue spices are followed by a full-bodied, opulent wine displaying heady amounts of alcohol, glycerin, and density in its full-bodied, skyscraper-like texture. I was drinking this wine with great pleasure in the mid-nineties, yet here it is nearly 15 years later, and the wine does not appear to have budged much from its evolutionary state. This is a testament to how remarkably well these wines hold up, and age at such a glacial pace.Grange, Penfolds’ flagship wine, is, by many accounts, the most renowned and world-famous wine produced in Australia, and these six vintages from my cellar all acquitted themselves well. These wines are almost always Shiraz, but many vintages include less than 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and there are cross-appellations blends from vineyards in the Barossa and McLaren Vale.Robert Parker | 97 RP

This wine appears to be on steroids. The color is a dense opaque purple. The bouquet offers up notes of chocolate, espresso beans, smoke, iron, earth, and copious quantities of black jammy fruit. Thick, intense, succulent, full-bodied, and powerful, it remains 7-8 years away from full maturity. It should last 30+ years. An amazing accomplishment, the 1982 La Tour-Haut-Brion is the last profound wine produced at this estate. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030. A legendary effort!Robert Parker | 99 RPA subtle yet rich wine. Dark red, with an inky center and an amber edge. Beautiful cigar-box, berry and cherry aromas. Full-bodied and very ripe, with sweet fruit and wonderful autumnal flavors. Long, with silky texture.--1982 Bordeaux horizontal. Drink now. —Wine Spectator | 94 WSSaturated red-ruby. Slowly developing, highly expressive aromas of cooked plum, leather, tobacco, road tar and earth. Then silky and lush in the mouth, with compelling fat and texture. Remains just this side of roasted, thanks to sound acids and a medicinal note of menthol. Thick and impressive wine, finishing firm and gripping, with solid, ripe tannins. Serious juice.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Approaching full maturity, this beautifully sweet Chateau Margaux has a dense plum/purple color and a huge, sweet nose of black currants intermixed with licorice, toast, underbrush, and flowers. Medium to full-bodied with supple tannin and a fleshy, juicy, very succulent and multi-layered mid-palate, this expansive, velvety wine has entered its plateau of maturity, where it should remain (assuming good storage) for at least another 10-15 years. A very delicious, seductive, and opulent Chateau Margaux to drink over the next two decades. Anticipated maturity: Now-2015. Last tasted, 10/02.Robert Parker | 95 RP(Château Margaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, Red) A beautifully seductive and charming wine at this point giving meaty, savoury tones on the nose with chocolate, leather, cigar box and smoked cherry and strawberry flavours on the palate. Still such a vibrant colour in the glass with a lovely brightness in general. Sophisticated and elegant with freshness. It’s lost some fat and overt power but retains such an expansive amount of flavour. A real treat to taste and enjoy. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. (Drink between 2022-2032)Decanter | 95 DECShows mint and savory notes out front, with a very elegant structure weaving gently around the core of dried cherry, red currant and pomegranate fruit. The long sandalwood and singed cedar finish is very stylish. A bit outpaced by ’88 and ’86 in this flight, but as a standalone wine this is very confident in its old age.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2024.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

A seductive mix of brambly autumnal fruits, black truffles, graphite and cigar box, this is absolutely ready to drink now and yet will continue to unwind and deliver for decades to come. The tannic structure is still noticeable, even at 32 years old, and it propels the fruit forward to a fresh, minty finish. I tasted this with a lovely group from the Napa Valley Reserve who were on a trip to Bordeaux in October. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040Decanter | 96 DECI tasted this at a fun restaurant in Bordeaux called Le Père Ouvrard in the Bouscaut neighborhood. The 1986 was a great vintage for the Médoc but less so for Pessac-Léognan, partly because an early torrent of rains wrought havoc for wines with more merlot in their blends. Many of the 1986s are starting to fall apart, but the La Mission was holding on nicely with dark berries, currants, iodine and oyster shell. It was full-bodied, very soft, very silky and ended with a fresh finish. It’s a wine definitely on a holding pattern.James Suckling | 96 JSThis wine continues to be backward, but the bouquet is beginning to develop secondary nuances from roasted herbs and sweet cigar tobacco to compost, leathery notes, along with plenty of sweet cherry and black currant fruit. I had somewhat higher hopes for it a decade ago. The wine is still youthful, quite pure, medium to full-bodied, but somewhat elevated, austere tannins in the finish at age 16 are starting to make me think they will never become fully integrated. As always, making a judgment call on a wine destined to have a half-century of life is sometimes difficult, given the varying stages it goes through, but I wonder if this wine will turn out to be as profound as I once predicted. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030. Last tasted, 11/02.Robert Parker | 94 RP

(Château Latour) The 1989 vintage of Château Latour was not considered a great year for this superb property, which was purported to have started a mini-slump after the release of the brilliant 1982 vintage at the estate. However, though I did not buy this wine on release (believing the critics of the time and their assessment of its relative inferiority), on the couple of occasions where I have been lucky enough to drink it again in recent times, it has been clear that this wine was underrated at the outset and really is an excellent vintage of Latour. The most recent bottle was getting close to full bloom, but not quite there yet, offering up a deep and complex bouquet of cassis, sweet dark berries, cigar ash, Latour’s classic gravelly, dark soil signature, cedary oak and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and plenty deep at the core, with firm, well-integrated tannins, excellent mineral drive, very good acids for the vintage and a very long, balanced and complex finish. This is getting close to really drinking well as it closes in on its thirtieth birthday, but it is an old school Latour and will still be an even better drink at age forty than it is today. (Drink between 2018-2085).John Gilman | 95 JGThis is so decadent and exciting on the nose, with very ripe fruit, tobacco, meat and cedar. Full-bodied, offering amazing raspberry fruit in the core of the palate. Ultrapolished, velvety tannins wonderfully coat every inch of your palate. This will age for years ahead, but it’s so lovely now. Much better than many people think.--’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now. 17,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 1989 Latour shows similarly to the bottle earlier this year. To be honest, there is little difference between the aromatics on this and Les Forts de Latour, perhaps just some morels and yes, a touch of Brettanomyces. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, the mixture of red and black fruit mixed with plenty of undergrowth. I appreciate the freshness and the piquant finish, although I would not rank this as a top-tier Latour; it could even be considered to be underperforming in the context of the vintage. Tasted from an ex-cellar bottle at the château.Vinous Media | 91 VM

This is about as alluring as it gets aromatically, with singed alder, juniper, bay and charcoal notes out front, hinting at power but turning beguiling as they flow into the core of steeped red currant, dried currant and black tea. The charcoal note makes an encore, with a lovely twinge of old-school character holding the finish. Always a great debate vis-à-vis the ’90, but the slightly darker profile here gives this wine a lovely bit of extra drama.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2025. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSI find this a little austere with mineral, tar, and currant character. It’s a little subdued. Full and silky on the palate, it’s firm and bright, even tight. Served from imperial bottle.James Suckling | 91 JSDwarfed by its younger sibling, the 1990, the 1989 Chateau Margaux has a dark plum/garnet color and a big, sweet nose of new saddle leather, toasty oak, and weedy black cherry and cassis fruit. The wine is medium-bodied, with relatively elevated tannins, outstanding concentration and purity, but a somewhat clipped as well as compressed finish. This certainly outstanding wine has put on a bit of weight in its evolution in the bottle, but it is hardly one of the most profound efforts from Chateau Margaux. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025. Last tasted, 10/02.Vinous Media | 90 RP

The 1990 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St.-Jacques 1er Cru is magnificent. It displays stunning definition on the nose; there’s no messing about as it ladles out captivating raspberry, wild strawberry and light oyster shell notes. Though opulent and reflective of the growing season, the bouquet oozes class. The palate has a sorbet-like freshness and so much vitality after 31 years, building toward a perfectly symmetrical finish featuring vivacious morello cherries and raspberry coulis and hints of bay leaf. This is simply Rousseau in full flight. How do you follow that pair?Vinous Media | 97 VMThis was a wine that I was quite curious to try because while I had the good fortune to have enjoyed it several times in the 1990s, it had not come my way since 2001. I’m happy to report that it did not disappoint with its ripe yet airy aromas of sous-bois, spice, earth, game and beautifully well-layered secondary fruit. There is fine richness as well as very good power to the delicious and attractively textured medium-bodied flavors that exhibit equally good layering on the impressively persistent finale. This is not a particularly elegant vintage for the Rousseau CSJ and there remains enough tannin to notice on the slightly warm finish but overall, I found this to have aged out extremely well.Burghound | 93 BHThe outstanding Gevrey-Chambertin-Clos St.-Jacques possesses a saturated deep ruby color, and an explosive nose of black fruits, spicy new oak, flowers, and truffles. In the mouth, the wine is dense, seductive, and ripe, with low acidity, glycerin, and alcohol in the finish, making it a voluptuous, opulent mouthful of chewy Pinot Noir. Drink it over the next decade.Robert Parker | 90 RPA supple 1990, with a firm core of solid tannins and enough fruit to compensate for the tannic backbone. A well-integrated wine, with lots of raspberry, mushroom and wet earth flavors. Best after 1996.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

It is pretty amazing, when drinking this stunning wine, to realize that this was only the second vintage made by the Mugneret sisters on their own after the tragic passing of their father Georges in 1988. Their 1990 Ruchottes is one of the finest examples of this vintage that I have tasted in several years, offering a purity that is hard to find these days in this slightly roasted vintage. The nose wafts from the glass in a very complex blend of red and black cherries, sweet dark berries, grilled meats, dark soil tones, a touch of cigar ash, espresso, mustard seed and plenty of cedary new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and tangy, with a great core of black fruit, superb soil signature and grip, still a wisp of backend tannin and lovely balance on the long, focused and very complex finish. Great juice with many, many decades of life still ahead. (Drink between 2023 - 2070)John Gilman | 96 JGThe 1990 Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru is consistent with the bottle poured at the vertical in London. It offers mainly black fruit on the nose laced with mulberry, liquorice and Clementines, though I would have liked more delineation. The palate is rounded and generous in terms of fruit, grippy in the mouth with a dense finish that just lacks the grace of more recent vintages. Tasted at the La Paulée in Beaune.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Interestingly, a bottle of 1990 Lafite Rothschild I pulled from my cellar for a video blog on my web site was still buttoned down, tight, and even with extended decanting was not showing as much as I would have hoped. However, a bottle tasted, of all places, in Seoul, Korea in February, was only a few points short of perfection. That amazing performance motivated me to pull another bottle out of my cellar and follow it over the course of two days. Sure enough, by the second day the wine was roaring from the glass. The 1990 Lafite has turned out far better than my early assessment. While it still possesses some firmness, and performs like a late adolescent in terms of its evolution, it boasts gorgeous aromas of cedar, tobacco leaf, cassis, and lead pencil shavings. The explosive aromas are followed by a fleshy, full-bodied wine that should hit its peak in 5-8 years, and last for 25-30 more. Robert Parker | 96 RPVery serious fruit, with juicy berry, tobacco and cedar character. Slightly more body than the 1989, but they are very close in character. I would give this a little more time. ’89/’90 Bordeaux non-blind horizontal. Best after 2007. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château Lafite Rothschild, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) A smoky, slightly baked character to the fruit and an undercurrent of dark chocolate and ground coffee. The texture is soft, sunny, and supple, with agreeable plumpness on the finish. 1990 was another sunny year that produced a lush, ripe result for Lafite that is immediately approachable. Although it should continue to show well, it lacks the incisive character of cooler years. The growing season was easy, with warm weather throughout and a successful flowering that set a large crop. There was sufficient sun to ripen all the fruit, however, and the final result was 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 13% Cabernet Franc. (Drink between 2022-2042)Decanter | 95 DECThis bottle of 1990 Lafite-Rothschild replicates the one poured at the château several months earlier. The bouquet offers black fruit, a little dustiness, leather and light marine notes, but again, it never slips into fifth gear. It just lacks vivacity. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly hard tannin, modest fruit concentration and a monochromatic finish that feels suppressed by that summer’s warmth. To reiterate, there are Super Seconds that clearly outperform this First Growth in 1990. Tasted at Noble Rot’s “Xmas” dinner.Vinous Media | 90 VM

This wine goes from strength to strength, and is developing even better than I initially expected. More backward than most of the big, Cabernet Sauvignon-based 1990 Medocs, it is full-bodied and viscous, but not as thick or oily as the 1982 can be. The 1990’s fresh, pure black raspberry, incense, and minerality characteristics result in a young, legendary wine. Still deep ruby/purple to the rim as well as extraordinarily intense, it is 4-10 years away from full maturity, and should evolve for another 30+ years. It is an amazing achievement!Robert Parker | 97+ RPThe 1990 Lafleur was similar to the bottle shown at the Lafleur/Petrus/Le Pin dinner. It is a vintage that I used to adore and in many ways, still do. However as I remarked during this vertical, it is one of the few vintages where the character of the growing season is translated over the signature terroir of Lafleur. Nevertheless, the nose is fresher and more vital than the previous bottle with glossy black fruit laced with undergrowth scents, this particular example exhibiting a light star anise aroma that intensifies with aeration. The palate is full-bodied with supple ripe tannin, layers of rich black fruit, powerful and voluminous. I feel that the Merlot is more expressive than the Cabernet Franc: smooth and sexy in texture, moderate acidity and glycerin towards the lush finish. It is a gorgeous Pomerol to drink, offering more sensory joy than intellectual stimulation. Hey, but sometimes that is exactly what you want. Tasted at the “International Wine & Business” Lafleur dinner at Ten Trinity, London.Vinous Media | 94 VMStill very closed, but big and rustic. Medium-red color. Aromas of meat, tobacco and fruit. Full-bodied, very chewy; mouthpuckering. Needs time.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2005. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

(Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru Red) The nose evidences a slight floral quality, and a fascinating mix of earth, leather, tea and spice notes plus an interesting green bark component. The slightly austere, tannic, wonderfully rich flavors are dense, in fact extremely dense with excellent depth and terrific complexity and a finish that seems to go on forever. Though there are now hints of secondary aromas, this remains very young, structured and remarkably intense. When you get the right bottle, the ’93 can be a real stunner. Note: the inconsistency of this wine continues unabated as a bottle opened at the Domaine recently was almost aggressively vegetal and awkward. In short, when it’s good it’s very good but I’ve now had too many disappointing bottles not to be wary. (Drink starting 2018)Burghound | 95 BHLight red. Beautiful nose, very youthful and pure. A vegetal note emerges with air. Packed with dense fruit and marked by a very firm structure of both acidity and dense tannins. The fruit is locked up right now in this massive, powerful La Tâche. Rather than open in the glass, this appears to close up, but have faith; this will be great.--La Tâche non-blind vertical. Best from 2010 through 2030. — BSWine Spectator | 95 WS

One of the treats when tasting through the profound Côte Rôties made by Marcel Guigal was the opportunity to taste all of the bottled 1995's. Reviewed in previous issues, they are even better from bottle than they were during their upbringing (a characteristic of many Guigal wines). The 1995 Côte Rôtie la Landonne is the stuff of legends and is every bit as compelling as readers might expect. This single vineyard wine will have at least 2 decades of longevity.Robert Parker | 99 RPDeep ruby-red. More sauvage aromas of black raspberry, blueberry, tar, mocha, minerals, mace and roasted game. Superconcentrated and powerful, with a near-solid texture. One of those rare wines that seems almost too big for the mouth. Finishes with huge, toothfurring-but-ripe tannins and great persistence.Vinous Media | 97 VMA full-bodied Syrah in an international-style that's complex and seductive, layered with cinnamon, toasted oak, plum, game, smoke, mineral and black fruit flavors. Turns massively tannic on the finish. Balanced and elegant despite the obvious richness, it's tempting on release, but needs a bit of time to tame the tannins. Drink now through 2015. 1,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

It is fun to go back and forth between the 1995 and 1996, two superb vintages for Haut-Brion. The 1995 seems to have sweeter tannin and a bit more fat and seamlessness when compared to the more structured and muscular 1996. Certainly 1995 was a vintage that the brilliant administrator Jean Delmas handled flawlessly. The result is a deep ruby/purple-colored wine with a tight but promising nose of burning wood embers intermixed with vanilla, spice box, earth, mineral, sweet cherry, black currant, plum-like fruit, medium to full body, a high level of ripe but sweet tannin, and a finish that goes on for a good 40-45 seconds. This wine is just beginning to emerge from a very closed state where it was unyielding and backward. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2035. Last tasted, 11/0Robert Parker | 96 RPThis 1995 Haut-Brion was served blind during the summer at a private dinner in Bordeaux, a bottle with perfect provenance. It is a vintage that I have drunk several times, but not since 2013. Deep in colour, the 1995 has plenty of black fruit on the nose, displaying a distinctive briny influence, classic in style with stunning definition. There is something regal about the aromatics. The palate is well-balanced, with fine acidity and black fruit once again, sappy and saline, with an underlying ash-like note emerging as it opens in the glass. Though quite linear towards the tobacco and sous-bois finish, the 1995 conspicuously gains weight and breeding with time. Therefore, I would afford this First Growth four to five hours of decanting as it remains more backward than I imagined.Vinous Media | 95 VMSweet tobacco, blackberries and violets on the nose. Subtle. Full-bodied and very tight, with fantastic tannins and a long caressing finish. Wonderful texture. All in reserve still. Give this time.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château Haut-Brion (Graves)) The 1995 vintage of Haut-Brion is excellent, though still a few years away from primetime drinking. The bouquet is deep, pure and classical in profile, delivering scents of cassis, sweet dark berries, singed tobacco, a touch of coffee bean, fresh herb tones, a complex base of gravelly soil tones, cedary oak and just a hint of the more red fruity elements that are sure to emerge here with further bottle age. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep, complex and seamlessly balanced, with ripe, buried tannins, fine focus and grip and outstanding length on the vibrant and very classy finish. This is a superb Haut-Brion in the making. (Drink between 2025-2085).John Gilman | 94+ JG

I pulled this lone bottle out of my cellar at the last minute to remind some Italian vintners of the great quality of the 1995 Bordeaux vintage. They seem to be finally opening up! What a red with incredible depth and finesse. Cedar, cigar box and toabaaco character with currants and fresh tobacco undertones. It’s full-bodied yet tight and dense. Precision. So refined and intense. Such freshness and beauty. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSIntense aromas of blackberries, black licorice and currants, with mineral undertones. Full-bodied, with a solid core of tannins and a long, silky finish. Still holding back, but is concentrated and powerful. The 1996 is always talked about, but I think this is superior and will be in the future.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 20,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 1995 Lafite-Rothschild (only one-third of the harvest made it into the final blend) is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. The wine was showing spectacularly well when I tasted it in November, 1997. It exhibits a dark ruby purple color, and a sweet, powdered mineral, smoky, weedy cassis-scented nose. Beautiful sweetness of fruit is present in this medium-bodied, tightly-knit, but gloriously pure, well-delineated Lafite. The 1995 is not as powerful or as massive as the 1996, but it is beautifully made with outstanding credentials, in addition to remarkable promise. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2028.Robert Parker | 95 RPDark ruby-red. Sappy, expressive aromas of cherry, plum, minerals, woodsmoke and game, plus an exotic suggestion of baked apple. Rather subtle on the attack, then quickly expands to fill the mouth. A big, deep, very rich vintage for Lafite, unusually generous at this early stage and extremely long on the aftertaste. But went into a shell with aeration, and showed a hint of tobacco leaf vegetility. Finishing notes of coconut, woodsmoke and tobacco add flavor interest.Vinous Media | 93+ VM

A beauty, the opaque dense purple-colored 1995 exhibits jammy cassis, vanillin, and minerals in its fragrant but still youthful aromatics. Medium to full-bodied, with exceptional purity, superb concentration, and a long, intense, ripe, 40-second finish, this is a magnificent example of Latour. As the wine sat in the glass, scents of roasted espresso and toasty new oak emerged. This classic will require considerable cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2050.Robert Parker | 96 RPDeep ruby-red color. More expressive aromas of crystallized dark berries, dark chocolate and animal fur. Lush and sweet; thick but delineated. Wonderfully concentrated. This, too, seems rather withdrawn today, but the strength of material is clear to see. Finishes with firm tannins and explosive fruit that goes on and on.Vinous Media | 94+ VMBlack licorice, cedar, cigar box and fresh herbs. Full-bodied and very structured, with firm, silky tannins and a long finish. Needs time.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2009.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Latour) Latour made a very good wine in 1995, but my gut instincts are that the property in the twenty-first century is making even better wines than was the case in the decade of the 1990s. The 1995 Latour offers up a complex, promising nose of cassis, dark berry, French Roast, Cuban cigars, gravelly soil tones and a well-done base of toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full and broad-shouldered in profile, with a fine core of fruit, ripe, chewy tannins, fine focus and grip and a long, still quite youthful finish. This is at least eight to ten years away from starting to drink, and probably at least twenty away from really hitting its apogee. (Drink between 2025-2075).John Gilman | 93 JG

Chave’s 2000 Cuvée Cathelin was monumental. It was a privilege to taste, but also a shame to open so early. If the 1991 seemed young, the 2000 came across as a veritable new-born. Antonio Galloni | 97 AGSurprisingly, there will be about 200 cases produced of a 2000 Hermitage Cuvee Cathelin. Based on earlier visits, I thought this cuvee would not be produced again as the Chaves were embarrassed by all the attention previous offerings received. However, they will continue to produce it as long as it does not detract from their classic cuvee. The Cuvee Cathelin displays more new oak than the regular bottling as well as firmer tannin, yet also great length, palate presence, and structure. Boasting a chocolatey, blackberry nose, huge intensity, and super elegance and finesse, it will require 5-6 years of cellaring. Qualitatively, it is no better than its sibling, but does possess additional structure and new oak characteristics. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040.This family-run estate continues to go from strength to strength, with the father and son (Gerard and Jean-Louis) team pushing all the right buttons to achieve success at all quality levels. Jean-Louis Chave is responsible for several negociant wines.Robert Parker | 96 RP

(Domaine Armand Rousseau, Gevrey-Chambertin, 1er Cru Clos-St-Jacques, Burgundy, France, Red) Medium-full colour. Rich, concentrated, high quality nose with a touch of new oak. Fullish body. Profound. Youthful. Excellent grip. Very impressive finish. Splendid quality as usual. Will still improve. (Drink between 2003-2025)Decanter | 96 DEC(Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin "Clos St. Jacques" 1er Cru Red) Knockout aromas of wonderfully intense black and red cherry fruit loaded with cassis and a touch of new oak introduce medium-bodied, sweet, harmonious, very expressive and long flavors all underpinned by racy minerality and firm structure. The tannins are prominent but ripe and the density of extract is impressive and this both coats and stains the palate. As it always does, this delivers finesse with real mid-palate punch with near perfect grace. For my taste, I would hold this for another 1 to 3 years but it would be no vinous crime to be drinking this now. Note to be sure to serve this cool as the alcohol becomes noticeable if it becomes a bit too warm. (Drink starting 2013)Burghound | 93 BHRousseau’s 2001 Grevey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques is a very pretty wine, bursting from the glass with a projected bouquet of rose petal, cassis, red cherry, cedary new oak and sweet forest floor. On the palate, the wine is youthful but expressive, with a sweet, almost candied core of succulent fruit, framed by supple tannins. At first glance, this seems to epitomize Rousseau’s elegant style, but by the time the bottle was finished, the wine had begun to seem just a touch facile and diffuse, missing the intensity and concentration that this bottling can attain.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPGood medium red. Strawberry, coffee, rose petal and smoky oak on the nose. Sweet, ripe and plump, with aromatic flavors of plum and spicy oak. Here the nearly 100% new oak percentage (the foregoing wines get little or no new oak) adds considerable sex appeal and nicely frames the wine’s rather delicate fruit. Finishes long, subtle and aromatic, with an impression of finer tannins.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Yes, there is power to this wine. But more than that, it exudes authority; a dense and solid wine with an impressive presence and texture. It has a velvet mouthfeel: the tannins are dusty and mineral, alongside fruit flavors of ripe black plums and dark figs, leavened with fresh acidity. The potential, of course, is there: 20 years if you can wait.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis beautiful, stunningly dense purple-colored effort (includes about 90% Cabernet Sauvignon) offers up precise notes of graphite, black cherries, cassis, scorched earth, and minerals. Medium to full-bodied with fabulous fruit, impressive richness, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannin, this beauty should be approachable in 4-5 years, and last for three decades. As Lafite Rothschilds go, this is somewhat of a sleeper vintage.Robert Parker | 95 RPThe most aristocratic of the Pauillac premier crus in this vintage, Lafite captures the pure black-currant flavor of fine cabernet sauvignon. Though oak blocks the aroma for now, a river of fruit runs through the taste into a long, expansive finish. The wine is layered and palate coating, its luscious fruit tamed by firm, mineral tannin. Elegant.Diageo Château & Estate Wines, NYWine & Spirits | 95 W&SMedium ruby-red. Scented nose offers plum, mocha, licorice, graphite, flowers and tobacco. Suave, silky and fine-grained, with lovely inner-mouth aromatic character and energy. Perfumed flavors of redcurrant, minerals and cedar. Finishes very long and firm, with terrific grip for this mostly gentle vintage.Vinous Media | 93 VMIntense aromas of currant, coffee, toasty oak and sweet tobacco follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins, great mouthfeel and a long finish. A refined Lafite. Best after 2012. 22,080 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

(Chambertin- Domaine Dujac) The 2007 Chambertin is also a beautiful bottle in the making, as it offers up a beautiful aromatic mélange of cherries, red plums, coffee, cocoa, a great base of soil, spice tones and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and magically complex, with great length and grip, flawless focus, a sappy core and superb length on the modestly-tannic and very tangy finish. Quintessential Chambertin. I would love to drink this wine side by side with Éric Rousseau’s example a dozen years from now. (Drink between 2017-2050)John Gilman | 96 JG(Domaine Dujac Chambertin Grand Cru Red) A much more restrained and certainly cooler nose of all red berry fruit aromas that possess obvious mineral and underbrush highlights dissolves into precise, intense and driving medium full flavors that possess simply terrific length and vibrancy. This is not a super concentrated effort but it is extremely well balanced, persistent and classy. A qualitative choice. (Drink starting 2019)Burghound | 91-94 BHBright medium red. Aromas of black cherry, red berries, iron and flowers hint at a liqueur-like ripeness. Dense, sweet and deep, but in a rather polite style for Chambertin, with its fruits and flowers to the fore. But this classy, beautifully balanced wine shows a weightless quality that is compelling.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Here the wood is already almost completely integrated with a cool, spicy, stony and utterly classy nose of highly complex if restrained cassis and plum aromas. The powerful, focused, intense and broad-shouldered flavors possess excellent volume and an abundance of underlying tension that adds a sense of verve and punch to the harmonious and, like the RSV, impeccably well balanced finish. This is really quite fine for a young Richebourg and this knockout effort should age for years. Brilliant.Burghound | 96 BHFull medium red. Sweet, deep aromas of raspberry, strawberry and smoky minerality. Large-scaled, seamless and wonderfully full but still very young, with dark berry and crushed stone flavors complemented by brown spices and saline soil tones. Most impressive today on the very long, firm finish, which features extremely fine tannins. (The Suchots shows a higher-pitched floral character today, but these tannins are nobler and riper.) This should reward extended bottle aging. Indeed, Charles van Canneyt believes that, despite the dominant warm-vintage character shown by so many 2009s in the early gong, "the terroirs will come back after 10 or 12 years."Vinous Media | 94+ VMThe 2009 Richebourg shows marvelous persistence, depth and power. Not surprisingly, this is a rather inward, tightly coiled wine. With time in the glass, endless nuances of sweet herbs, mint, anise and crushed flowers add complexity to the fruit. This shows terrific depth and incisiveness in a totally convincing style. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe ripe and pure 2009 Richebourg from Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat is another of the wines in the cellars here this year that has not strayed anywhere near overripeness, but its plush and voluptuous fruit tones have somehow seemed to reduce the soil signature to a rather general sense of minerality. There is an awful lot to like here, particularly fro fans of more opulent styled red Burgundies, as the wine offers up scents of plums, cherries, Vosne spices, venison, minerals and a touch of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and really voluptuous on the attack, with a fine core of fruit, ripe tannins and a very long, focused and very minerally finish. Maybe I just caught this cellar at an awkward stage and the minerality will eventually blossom into more clearly distinguishable signatures of terroir, but something tells me that those who really crave a signature of soil in their Hudelot wines are going to be much happier chasing down the beautifully transparent, but nowhere near as dramatically plush, 2008 versions. But this is a very good bottle, by any measure. (Drink between 2018 - 2050)John Gilman | 93+ JG

The 2009 Proprietary Blend Pluribus boasts stunning concentration, depth and power. Tar, incense, graphite, plums and grilled herbs all flow from this dark, sumptuous Cabernet Sauvignon. The balance of fruit, tannin and acidity is masterful. The Pluribus is always the most intense of the BOND wines. It can at times be a bit of a brute, but the 2009 is as refined as it gets. There is no shortage of class and integrity here. Hints of smoke, tar and juniper berries add the final layers of complexity. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039.I have been excited about the BOND 2009s since I first tasted them 18 months ago. My enthusiasm for those wines is surpassed only by the 2010s. The 2009s are sexy, radiant and impeccably polished, while the 2010s are more inward, structured and brooding in style. It is impossible not to compare BOND to Bill Harlan’s Harlan Estate. Although I am told the approach to farming and picking is identical in all the vineyards both estates look after, my sense is that the BOND wines are a little more vibrant than Harlan Estate, which tends to occupy a spot a little further out on the ripeness spectrum. It’s hard to know what more there is to say about BOND. These are simply some of the most utterly magnificent wines I have ever tasted, and a true testament that terroir not only exists in Napa Valley, but that these are some of the most privileged sites for making wine anywhere in the world. In my opinion, in top vintages, the St. Eden, which emerges from the red soils of Oakville, and the Vecina, from Vine Hill Ranch, are two of the greatest wines in Napa Valley.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPReaders searching for a Pluribus to drink now will find much to admire in the 2009. Beautifully resonant on the palate, the 2009 possesses striking depth and nuance. Time in the glass seems to bring out the wine’s natural richness and generous, inviting texture.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGAn amazing wine, complex and elegant, with a pure, rich, spicy mix of dark berry, plum and black cherry flavors. Supple and harmonious, elegant and persistent. Drink now through 2028. 420 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2010 Romanée-St.-Vivant from Hudelot-Noëllat is properly more reserved than the Malconsorts, but in terms of complexity and purity, these two wines are cut very much from the same cloth in this vintage. The stunning nose soars from the glass in a beautiful blend of sappy red and black cherries, raspberries, a touch of blood orange, a great base of soil tones, a bit of duck and a judicious framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure on the attack, with a sappy core, ripe tannins and a very, very long, reserved and transparent finish. This is pure magic. (Drink between 2022 - 2075)John Gilman | 96+ JGGood full red. Ineffable aromas and flavors of red berries, cocoa powder, smoked meat, faded rose and wild herbs, plus a whiff of game. Still a bit youthfully tough on the palate, but already communicates great grip and energy; comes across as deeper and more masculine than the 2011 version. Finishes surprisingly lush, with perfectly integrated tannins and outstanding subtle length.Vinous Media | 95+ VMThe 2010 Romanee St. Vivant comes across as rather shy. It shows lovely definition in its striking, well-delineated bouquet. There is an element of pure sensuality to the fruit that is very attractive. The RSV needs time to come out of its shell but is quite promising, even at this early stage. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPThe 2010 Romanée Saint-Vivant Grand Cru showed more evolved than I’d expect from a 2010, yet it was nevertheless beautiful, with a complex, layered, nuanced bouquet, medium-bodied richness, integrated tannins, and just a perfumed, forward, evolved style that was drinking incredibly well. Blind, I’d easily have guessed it was 10-15 years older. It’s a beautiful wine, although I’m not sure if this bottle is representative, so I’d recommend trying a bottle if you have a few cellared. Based off this showing, it should have no issues evolving for another decade, but I wouldn’t go much further.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThis was also relatively reduced and impossible to evaluate. The utterly seductive medium weight flavors possess a silky mouth feel and superb balance which in much the same fashion as the Beaux Monts is enhanced by the very fine grained tannins before culminating in an explosive, focused and strikingly long finish. This highly-sophisticated effort seems quite supple as the firm tannins are hidden by the abundant sap but make no mistake, this will require plenty of cellar time before it’s completely ready. Despite all of the considerable potential this is displaying this level of reduction is cause for concern and while it may pass, that is an assumption.Burghound | 94 BH

(Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru Red) A notably floral character adds breadth to the highly spiced and exceptionally fresh nose of cool red currant and plum. The rich, refined and admirably pure middle weight flavors are supported and shaped by ultra-fine tannins that coat the mouth on the incredibly long finish. Despite the underlying tension, this is essentially a wine of finesse and harmony that should also age for a very long time if desired. Brilliant and remarkably complex. (Drink starting 2025)Burghound | 96 BHGood full red. Vibrant perfume of raspberry, spices and minerals. Boasts outstanding dark berry intensity, with powerful crushed-stone minerality and a saline quality giving great energy and tension to the middle palate. Finishes with remarkable rising length, utterly suave tannins and superb lift. Like the Suchots, this is already wonderfully aromatic but is built for a decade or two of improvement in bottle.Vinous Media | 95+ VM(Romanée-St.-Vivant- Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux) The 2010 Romanée-St.-Vivant from Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, not surprisingly, ash the best depth of fruit to stand up to the wood tannins here, and this wine is not bad at all. The nose is a complex and classy blend of cherries, orange peel, coffee, Vosne spices, lovely soil tones and plenty of smoky, luxe-styled new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and complex, with a good core of fruit, fine focus and very good length and grip on the chewy and only modestly over-oaked finish. This will have no trouble eventually absorbing its wood tannin, as it is only showing a touch of backend dryness at this time, and it will be a pretty good bottle at its apogee. But, should one expect more from an expensive example of Romanée-St.-Vivant in a great year? This will certainly not offer up even a modicum of value. (Drink between 2016-2040)John Gilman | 91+ JG

(Romanée-St.-Vivant- Domaine Dujac) There is always very little Romanée-St.-Vivant in the Dujac cellars, and with the very short yields in 2010, this chronic shortage will be exacerbated. I cannot recall precisely how few barrels there were of the RSV this year, but there is not much of this magical elixir. The profoundly complex nose offers up scents of cherries, raspberries, coffee, exotic spice tones, a brilliant base of soil, a touch of pain epice, woodsmoke, gamebird and spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, very pure and elegant, with kaleidoscopic minerality, refined tannins, tangy acids and stunning length and grip on the beautiful finish. (Drink between 2022-2075)John Gilman | 97+ JG(Domaine Dujac Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru Red) Like several of these 2010s, this is aromatically reserved to the point that only aggressive swirling liberates reluctant notes of spice, violets and a mix of perfumed red and black liqueur scents. The delicious, intense and beautifully detailed middle weight flavors possess a highly sophisticated mouth feel before terminating in a massively persistent, pure and harmonious finish. This seriously classy and exceptionally stylish effort is the epitome of power without weight, indeed it is textbook RSV. (Drink starting 2025)Burghound | 96 BHGood bright, full red. Aromas of crushed red berries, eucalyptus and blood orange, given even more punch by a suggestion of citrus peel. Pungent and penetrating in the mouth, with the crushed-grape character giving this very pure, focused wine an extremely primary quality today. With its rather powerful tannic spine, this is an infant. I would not be surprised if it needed 15 years to approach its plane of peak maturity.Vinous Media | 95+ VMThe 2010 Romanee Saint Vivant comes across as quite delicate, floral and feminine. Sweet red cherries, crushed flowers and mint wrap around the finish in this weightless, airy RSV. I have seen this wine grow significantly once it is in bottle, and expect that will be the case here as well. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040.Dujac fans will be thrilled with these 2010s. They are off the charts. The most difficult thing will no doubt be finding them. Jeremy Seysses reported yields down by 30-50% across the board, although his Morey blanc was down a whopping 90%. The poor flowering and wet summer resulted in loose bunches with a high amount of shot berries. The wines came in at 12 to 12.5% potential alcohol and were lightly chaptalized. Seysses used 80-90% stems for most of the wines, a little less for some, such as the Charmes and Combettes (around 70%) and more for the Chambertin and RSV (both 100%). Unfortunately, the 2010 Morey 1er Cru was too reduced to evaluate, so I will have to wait for another opportunity to taste the wine. I also tasted the entire range of 2009s. I will report on those wines in the April issue.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-96 RP