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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

Of the pair of châteaux, La Mission Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion (both owned by the Dillon banking family) that face each other across the crowded streets of Pessac, Haut-Brion is the one with the structure, the darkness, the brooding character. This is so true of 2004, with its hugely firm structure underlying the initial supple fruit. At the end, the acidity is an enticing surprise, lifting the aftertaste.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEOpen the bottle and you’ll find harmony in the glass, but the wine remains subtle, stony and mute, as if the flavors lie behind a closed door. Over the course of several days, that door begins to open, the stoniness transforms into sleek fruit, as if to mirror the complexity of the multicolored pebbles that sustain Haut-Brion’s vines, a range of flavors from red to purple to black. The structure grows increasingly substantial, while the harmony remains, lending the wine mysterious power. Twenty years from now, this will just begin to reach a plateau and should sustain itself long after.Wine and Spirits | 96 W&SWonderful aromas of dried flowers, currant, berries and mineral. Full-bodied, yet reserved and refined. Lovely texture, with a pure silk feel. Seamless and beautiful. Great length. Even better than from barrel. Best after 2012. 12,500 cases made..Wine Spectator | 95 WSIt has been a few years since I last tasted the 2004 Haut-Brion. Now at 12 years of age, it retains its deep color. The bouquet is "pleasant" if not as complex as the 2004 Latour, yet it’s possibly just biding its time as it gradually opens with black fruit, black olive, even a touch of mint that might dupe you into thinking Pauillac. The palate is medium-bodied and very harmonious, almost caressing thanks to the Merlot lending that velvety texture. The second half changes tack, the Cabernet nudging the Merlot off the stage and delivering a more structured, possibly foursquare finish that is linear and correct. It is an excellent wine for the vintage although it will always be overshadowed by the 2005 inter alia. Maybe more personality just needs to develop? Tasted September 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 93 RP-NMGood deep ruby-red. Reticent nose showed some dark cherry with aeration. Densely packed but youthfully closed, even a bit austere today, offering hints of black raspberry and minerals. This is fairly tannic wine (the IPT is 72) but there’s nothing hard about it. My sample gained in sweetness and texture with aeration, although its fruit character remained tightly wound. Give this time in a carafe if you plan to try it anytime soon. At this tasting, the ’04 La Mission was showing much more personality.Vinous Media | 91+ VM

This is certainly one of the stars of the vintage. With its solid tannins and dark, smoky character, it is going to be powerful, but with such elegance. The fruit flavors combine richness and freshness in fine harmony.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEIntense aromas of tar, blackberry and wet earth, with just a hint of tobacco and flowers. Full-bodied, chewy and long. Extracted, yet turns caressing and velvety in texture. Broad-shouldered and muscular for this estate. This is better than the 2000. Best after 2012. 3,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2004 Cheval Blanc has always been a wine that I felt needed patience on behalf of the wine lover, and so it is proving to be the case. Served blind I remarked upon a surprisingly Burgundy-like bouquet with ample red cherries, candied strawberry and redcurrant scents, the Merlot clearly more conspicuous than the Cabernet Franc, at least for now. The palate is medium-bodied with just a touch of coarseness on the entry. I appreciate the weight and balance here and belatedly the Cabernet Franc begins to express itself on the latter half, lending structure and grip, a dash of spice and a bit of sinew. Whilst it will never have the persistence of other vintages and regrettably continue to be dwarfed by the 2005, it remains a very fine Cheval Blanc from Pierre Lurton and his team. Tasted September 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NMGood bright ruby-red. Subdued but pure aromas of plum, flowers, licorice, menthol and Asian spices. Suave on entry, then dry and tight in the middle; extremely backward and shut down. Most impressive now for its finesse of texture. But today there’s little sign of the fleshiness the wine showed in the spring after the harvest. Lock this one away for a while and forget about it. This vintage has more cab franc than merlot.Vinous Media | 90+ VM

The 2004 Pavie-Macquin is not especially complex or nuanced, but it is exquisitely delicious and also a fabulous choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Leather, spice, chocolate and licorice fill out the layers effortlessly. More than anything else, the 2004 is a wine of total pleasure.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGAromas and flavors of warm plum cake, violet, red licorice, blackberry coulis and cherry preserves glide seamlessly along here, with just a light underscoring of alder adding texture. Features a very fine-grained finish, with lovely minerality that extends nicely. A beautiful wine.--Non-blind Pavie Macquin vertical (December 2014). Drink now through 2025. 4,165 cases made. Wine Spectator | 94 WSA noble, complex nose of flowers, beef blood, black currants, licorice, and truffles reveals surprising evolution. The full-bodied, powerful wine exhibits stunning concentration, beautiful richness, sweet tannin, and a long finish. A blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon (all from a bio-dynamically farmed vineyard), the 2004 Pavie-Macquin is another dazzling success from the brilliant winemaking team of Stephane Derenoncourt and Nicolas Thienpont.Robert Parker | 93 RPNow fully mature and drinking nicely, the 2004 Saint-Emilion reveals a healthy ruby hue to go with classic Saint-Emilion notes of currants, white truffles, dried tobacco, and cedary herbs. With medium-bodied richness and impressive overall balance, it has solid sweetness of fruit, integrated tannins, and a great finish. This is just a classic, classy expression of this vineyard to enjoy over the coming decade or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

A smooth, delicious wine. The fruit flavors go right through this ripe, complex wine, leaving the tannins and wood as supporting acts. As with so many 2004s, the aftertaste is fresh, with great acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA big, smoky, tapenade, plum, black currant, and spring flower-scented nose is followed by a medium to full-bodied, textured, layered wine with sweet tannin, low acidity, and impressive concentration as well as depth. This is a gorgeous, hedonistic yet complex Margaux to drink now and over the next 12-14 years.Robert Parker | 91 RPThis is very fresh and firm with really beautiful chocolate, walnut and berry character on the nose and palate. Full body with chewy yet polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Subtle and fine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JSA solid red, with blackberry, plum and light cedar aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing aftertaste. All together here. Best after 2008. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

At the Union des Grands Crus tasting in 2005, this was elegant red ambrosia; it showed beautifully sweet and ripe at our recent tasting in New York. A gracious pillow of merlot with mineral tannins to make it mouthwatering and lengthen the finish, this only gets better with air. Oak adds to the elegance of the wine and it seems destined to drink well over the course of the next ten years or more. The château was upgraded to Premier Grand Cru Classé status in 2006.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&SAromas of blackberry, with hints of tobacco. Full-bodied, with fine tannins, good length and a delicate, fruity aftertaste. Much more refined than I remember from barrel. Caressing. Best after 2007. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

In 1999 JP Moueix purchased this parcel of what had been Certan-Giraud and renamed it Hosanna. Though neighboring Pétrus, the pleasures of the wine are far more delicate. Floral scents of jasmine and fraises des bois combine with licorice spice as it takes on air, all standing against the blackness of the tannin, earthbound and powerful in its own light-handed way. Both shy and tough, this wine needs ten years from the vintage to begin to show its complexities.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 94 W&SChristian Moueix gave the celebratory name Hosanna to Château Certan Guiraud after he purchased it in 1999. He has now made his mark on the property, combining elegance and power. The style of the property seems to hone in on structure and tannins, but the fruit, dense and black, is also there.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEBright blackberry, forest fruits and freshly cut flowers. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Lots of black licorice and fruit character. Needs some time to develop in the bottle. Best after 2010. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSMore structured and tannic than usual, the 2004 Hosanna reveals a noble bouquet of spring flowers, cedar, menthol, and caramelized sweet black cherries and currants. The flavors are rich, savory, and medium to full-bodied, but strong tannins appear in the finish, suggesting 3-4 years of bottle age will be beneficial. It should drink nicely for 12-15+ years thereafter.Robert Parker | 90+ RPGood bright, deep red. Fresh, nuanced nose combines red cherry, tobacco, truffle, smoke and earth. Plump but fresh and intense, with an attractive restrained sweetness and firm underlying structure. This rather sexy and accessible Pomerol spreads out nicely to coat the palate, and finishes suave and lively, with firm tannic spine.Vinous Media | 90 VM

A big wine, with bitter chocolate flavors, and packed ripe fruit. It is intense and very dark, a great success.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEVery grapey and fresh on the nose, with hints of flowers. Full-bodied, with very well-integrated tannins and a complex, subtle aftertaste of vanilla, blueberry and cream. Long and refined. Best after 2012. 5,416 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA strong effort from the Becot family, this blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a saturated dense ruby/purple color, sweet notes of creme de cassis, cherries, earth, and subtle herbs, a spicy, medium to full-bodied, soft, opulent style, and a fleshy, long finish. Enjoy this hedonistic yet complex wine over the next 12-15 years. Just under 6,000 cases were produced.Robert Parker | 91 RPThe 2004 Beau-Séjour Bécot was picked between 2 September and 15 October. It has an attractive bouquet with redcurrant and cranberry fruit, flanked by a subtle floral and confit-like aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation, quite cohesive with a strict and linear second half. This is one of the more saline vintages from the estate in the 1990s, nevertheless it represents a commendable 2014 with just a touch of bitterness surfacing right at the finish. Otherwise this is a fine contribution to the vintage. Tasted at the château.Vinous Media | 90 VMNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

91–93 A rounded, soft-tannined ripe wine, which shows traces of black currant jelly as well as good acidity. It is attractive, layering sweetness with good, ripe fruit.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

A sensational effort and one of the stars of the vintage, Smith-Haut-Lafitte’s 2004 possesses an inky/blue/purple-tinged color as well as a sumptuous nose of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers, blueberries, and blackberries. Surprisingly full-bodied for the vintage with stunning concentration, purity, and overall harmony, this is another brilliant wine from the proprietors, the Cathiards, who have done such a spectacular job at this estate since the early 1990s. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2022.Robert Parker | 93 RPThe Cathiards have scored with their 2004. It is rich and dense, but keeps a fine sense of structure. While the tannins are dusty, almost sweet, they keep good balance with the elegant fruit and the enticing acidity. Keep for five years plus.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEOak dominates the wine for now, with luscious red- and black-currant fruit a whisper underneath. The juiciness of that fruit grows rounder and more substantial with air as the wine evolves toward elegance. Modern and supple, this should be at its best six to eight years from the vintage.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 91 W&SDeep red. Roasted red fruits, smoked meat, tobacco and a note of truffle on the expressive nose. Sweet and rather primary, with classic Pessac-Leognan flavors of iron, woodsmoke, hot stones and tobacco. Broad and smooth for the year, if not quite as dense as the young 2006. Finishes with lovely ripe tannins and lingering sweetness. This will offer early pleasure.Vinous Media | 90 VMLots of blackberry, spice and tobacco on the nose, with hints of cigar box. Full-bodied, with soft, round tannins and a dark chocolate and fruit aftertaste. Balanced and caressing. Best after 2009. 8,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

This has solid, modern, polished fruit that is taking on new-wood flavors. But that fruit is rich enough to power through the wood and give freshness and ripeness when mature.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

There has been a noticeable increase in the quality of Pichon Lalande’s second wine. A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, the accessible, impressively-endowed 2004 Reserve de la Comtesse possesses a deep ruby/purple color as well as notes of creme de cassis, charcoal, and spice box. It should drink well upon release, and evolve for a decade.Robert Parker | 88-90 RP

(Château Pichon Baron, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Pichon Baron 2004 impresses by its youthful energy and a floral bouquet brimming with black fruit including cherry. Aeration reveals a delightful minty freshness. A succulent, juicy attack leads the way to a full-bodied and velvety structure of elegant tannins. Here is a wine suffused with that now signature Pichon combination of energy, tension, and mineral sensations. Superb wine. (Drink between 2022-2030)Decanter | 94 DECAn undeniable star of the vintage, Pichon-Baron’s 2004 boasts an inky/ruby/purple color to the rim as well as a big, sweet nose of melted licorice, chocolate, black currant jam, truffles, and charcoal embers. Soft tannin, full body, and abundant opulence and flesh are atypical for the vintage character, but this wine is loaded. Pure, ripe, and evolved, it should be at its finest between 2009-2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2004 Pichon-Baron has a lilting bouquet of blackberry, wild strawberry, rose petals and dried herbs, conservative in style but clean and precise. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannin, and quite sappy in the mouth. This 2004 has plenty of personality and sports an attractive estuarine personality, showing traces of brine and seaweed toward the fresh, bright, vivid finish. It should drink well for many years. Tasted at the Pichon-Baron vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe sleek texture of this wine is built on a confit of ripe fruit and satin-rich tannin. It’s succulent, harmonious and potent, with berry-skin flavors. Rather than freshness, there’s a green-herb and tart-cherry element that provides an edge to the flavor. A textural pleasure, and a grand wine to cellar ten years or more.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SSweet tobacco and plums with just a hint of prunes. Fascinating nose. Full body with velvety tannins, tangy acidity and a fresh finish. Just right now. Savory and delicious.James Suckling | 92 JSLots of currant, licorice and light tar aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, yet refined and silky on the palate, with a lightly chewy finish. Needs time. Best after 2010. 20,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Along with Leoville Las Cases and a few others, this is among the stars of the appellation. Made in a more floral, supple, Margaux-like style, the deep ruby/purple-hued 2004 Leoville Poyferre exhibits sweet, broad flavors, and plenty of tannin lurking beneath the surface. However, the abundant cherry, black currant, licorice, and smoke notes obscure the tannic clout. This rich, powerful, broad beauty should be drinkable in 2-3 years, and last for two decades.Robert Parker | 93 RPA powerfully extracted wine, which almost—but not quite—submerges what is a fresh, fruity layer. The new wood that goes with the extraction is obvious at this stage in the wine’s development, but that cassis fruit will bring out the freshness later.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEClear leather and autumnal hedgerow aromatics, showcasing soft bramble fruits and full of life and character. After a slow start, the 2004 vintage is starting to stretch its wings and show some real character. This is a wine that surpasses its vintage, as you might expect from the producer. It was an abundant vintage with high yields, which perhaps explain why it is showing the beginning of tertiary character and less concentration to the fruit, but no doubt it will stay put at this moment of evolution for a long while. Drinking Window 2018 - 2034Decanter | 92 DECVery clean, with blackberry, currant and light vanilla aromas. Full and juicy, with chewy tannins and a long finish. Impressive despite a slightly hollow midpalate. Wait and see as this grows in the bottle. May be a bit overextracted this year. Best after 2011. 20,830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Aromas of currant and blackberry, with hints of mineral. Full-bodied, with big, velvety tannins and a long, long finish. A powerful wine with lots of character. Needs age to mellow the tannins. Best after 2012. 1,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThis beautiful Margaux offers expressive notes of spring flowers, licorice, incense, and sweet blackberries and currants. Supple-textured with a savory, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, silky tannin, and beautiful purity, it is a lovely effort that should drink well young yet keep for 12-15 years.Robert Parker | 90 RPGood medium ruby. Pure aromas of blackberry, violet and bitter chocolate. Sweet, pliant and fleshy, with a fairly high pH feel for a Medoc wine from this vintage. But the black fruit flavors are nonetheless juicy. Finishes with rich tannins that dust the entire palate. Contrary to popular belief, owner Philippe Forgeron has made this wine since 2001; Muriel Thunevin was responsible for the 1999 and 2000 vintages.Vinous Media | 90+ VM

Dense and solid, relying on rich tannins to give it structure and richness. The flavor is deep and concentrated, with dark black fruits piling in under the dry tannins. A wine that will develop slowly.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThis vintage presents a clear deepening of colour, switching from tertiary to a plump and rich ruby. 2004 was not the easiest vintage in Bordeaux, with some rain over summer, but the harvest was good. It’s classic in style, with menthol, cassis, tobacco and slate notes. There’s nothing overly intense, and it’s not the most generous of years – this wine needs food to smooth its rough edges - but the balance and freshness make your mouth water and it’s really coming into its own, those hard, youthful tannins beginning to soften. One to enjoy over a long supper with friends. Aged in 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2018 - 2030.Decanter | 91 DEC(a blend of 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 6% petit verdot) Ruby-red. Aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, leather, game and dark chocolate. Pliant and smooth, with a rather fine-grained texture for a young wine from this chateau. Doesn’t possess the definition or lift of the best 2004 St. Juliens, but has a solid core of chocolatey-ripe dark fruits and finishes with ripe, horizontal tannins. MargauxVinous Media | 87-90 VM

As so often, La Mission is rich, voluptuous, opulent and always a wine that seduces when it is young. But watch for those firm tannins, pure black plum and chocolate flavors, and wait for the dense texture to open up over the next 10 years—and more.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2004 La Mission Haut-Brion is the first vintage in a while that transcends the growing season. It shows a deep garnet core with faint bricking at the rim. The very pleasant tertiary nose displays touches of pitted black olives and bell peppers; you can immediately tell that it does not derive from a warm growing season. The medium-bodied palate delivers fine-grained tannins, well-judged acidity and black fruit tinged with a light marine/seaweed influence toward the no-frills finish. It does its job, does it well, then leaves. This is drinking well now, and though I cannot foresee any advantages in long-term cellaring, it should hold up well for the next 12–15 years. Tasted at a private dinner in Bordeaux.Vinous Media | 93 VMAromas of fruit and spices, with black pepper and cumin and undertones of forest floor. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit, a silky texture and a medium-to-long finish. Best after 2011. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSWhile La Mission Haut-Brion’s 2004 is not one of this estate’s top successes, it is an outstanding wine, no doubt because of this extraordinary terroir. Deep ruby/purple with notes of lead pencil shavings intermixed with black cherries, cassis, and a hint of scorched earth, medium body, sweet tannin, and a good, but uninspiring finish, this attractive, mid-weight La Mission should age nicely for 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

This stunning wine is one of the vintage’s great successes. Administrator Thomas Duroux has fashioned a modern day version of Palmer’s brilliant 1966. Displaying a rare combination of power and elegance, this dense purple-colored offering exhibits notes of blackberries, truffles, flowers, incense, and camphor. Long, classic, and medium to full-bodied with stunning texture and richness, this superb effort is a candidate for the finest Margaux of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2025+. Robert Parker | 94 RPWell-integrated tannins and the first stirrings of tertiary flavours. Not quite ready to drink, but the rich swirl of blackberry, soft cedar and autumnal hedgerow is already clear. This is a slightly more traditional take on Margaux than recent vintages of Palmer, but it has a glorious sense of earthy pleasure. From the first year that Thomas Duroux arrived at the estate, though he did not get involved in winemaking until the 2005 vintage. Drinking Window 2019 - 2030.Decanter | 93 DECThis wine hits the opulent end of the spectrum, with its dense, velvet structure, and superrich fruit. But it is not weighed down with this richness, because the pure fruit, the fine lines of the tannins and the very precise character of the vanilla from the wood all give liveliness.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEDeep red. Rich aromas of plum, redcurrant, chocolate and smoke. Sweet, lush and smooth, with a wonderfully fine-grained texture for the year. Highly expressive flavors of currant, cedar, chocolate and tobacco. The wine’s subtle sweetness, suave tannins and sneaky persistence convey an impression of very regular ripeness.Vinous Media | 92 VMAromas of licorice, tar and mineral follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a medium finish. A very pretty wine already. Falls a little short, but still outstanding. Best after 2009. 6,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS(Château Palmer) The 2004 Palmer is one of my favorite wines of the vintage that I have sampled from the couple dozen various châteaux that I have crossed paths with here in New York from the ’04 vintage. The wine is deep and nicely structured, but not overly extracted or inky (as is unfortunately the case with so many examples I have tasted of ’04 claret), as it offers up a stylish nose of cassis, black cherries, tobacco leaf, soil tones and a deft framing of cedary new oak. On the palate the wine is medium-full, focused and beautifully balanced, with firm, but well-integrated tannins, and lovely length and grip on the finish. A very stylish middleweight in the making. (Drink between 2014-2035)John Gilman | 90 JG

Gorgeous smoke and concentration on the nose, retaining largely primary fruit character even at 16 years old. This remains focused on cassis and black cherry character, touches of a bitter black chocolate and still clearly confident tannins. Harvest September 27 to October 18. Less graceful than some years like 2001, at least at this stage, but fresh, ripe and still young, which translates into huge promise for future development. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2004 Haut-Bailly is a candidate for the finest wine of the appellation. Its dark ruby/purple color is accompanied by classic aromas of scorched earth, sweet black currants, cherries, and a hint of pain grille. Light on its feet, but substantially flavored, it possesses stunning purity, good acidity, ripe tannin, and abundant flavor as well as length. It builds incrementally and subtly in the mouth, but it’s the real deal. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2024.Robert Parker | 93 RPA beautifully balanced, harmonious wine—as so often in recent years from Haut-Bailly—this is the epitome of deliciously drinkable Bordeaux. The wild strawberry flavors and the elegant, velvet texture are balanced by firm, structured tannins. Like other vintages from Haut-Bailly, expect this to develop over many years.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WETannins wash over the red-berry fruit component of this wine, which feels complete if not yet evolved. The potent tannic structure grows more expansive with air, a pure mineral essence for now. The fruit keeps it sleek with its own stony complexities waiting to develop. A classical Bordeaux for the cellar.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&SBlackberry and licorice aromas follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a long, rich aftertaste. Lots going on. This is an excellent wine and close to the 2000 in quality. Best after 2010. 6,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSPlum, redcurrant, mocha, tobacco, licorice, minerals and a gravelly note on the nose, along with some nutty oak. Supple and fruity, with an impression of strong acidity for the year and plenty of underlying minerality. This shows less density and structure than the 2006 but possesses excellent fruit for the year. Ripe enough but quite dry. This appears to be in the process of shutting down now.Vinous Media | 90+ VMThe racy, precise nature of this beautiful wine underlines the beautiful winemaking here. It shows plenty of smoky, berry and mineral character yet is reserved and subtle. It defines what the British call claret: it’s all about finesse and balance.James Suckling | 90 JS

Owned by Jean-Pierre Moueix (and run by Christian Moueix), this 19-acre property is on the highest part of the Pomerol plateau. This is a powerful wine, dense with black fruits, dusty dry tannins, tempered with fresh acidity. A serious, ageworthy wine.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA beautiful woman brings you a short espresso in a rose garden... Wake up and smell the Trotanoy. The fragrance is unquestionably beautiful, as are the deep layers of dark cherry and cherry-pit flavor, the fruit commingled with florals and earthiness so it is all inseparable from the tannin. The wine feels precise even as it broadens and spreads out into a vast finish, a supple caress to leave you in a dream.Wine and Spirits | 94 W&SAromas of crushed fruit and flowers, with hints of vanilla. Full-bodied, with a solid core of ripe fruit, ultrafine tannins and light toasty oak. Best after 2012. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSDeep medium red. Impressively primary aromas of cherry, mocha and sappy minerality. Juicy, spicy and firmly built if a bit youthfully medicinal, with a strong backbone supporting the flavors of red berries, spices and iron. A seriously structured, firmly tannic 2004 that will need at least four or five years of patience. Not particularly showy today, but opened out nicely with aeration, suggesting that time will bring a higher rating.Vinous Media | 90 VM

There are 580 cases of the exotic, flamboyant 2004 Le Pin. Its dense plum/ruby color is accompanied by sweet aromas of kirsch, cassis, smoke, earth, and roasted herbs. Super-opulent for the vintage, it possesses wonderful fruit and glycerin, medium to full body, and a fleshy personality. It should drink well young, yet age nicely for two decades or more. The Pomerol of the vintage?Robert Parker | 95 RP(tasted from cuve Classic Le Pin perfume of raspberry, cocoa powder and toasty oak, with an ineffable topnote of orange peel. Wonderfully delicate and precise in the mouth, with flavors and texture that reminded me of great Burgundy. The vibrant, utterly pure flavors of crushed raspberry, minerals, flowers and spices go on and on on the aftertaste, which does not show the oaky torrefaction of the young 2005. A great and subtle expression of merlot on the Pomerol plateau. I am not sure that the 2005 will surpass this.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMThe gorgeous mulled raspberry, bay, singed sandalwood and black tea aromas are very expressive, with a supremely silky feel from start to finish. A flicker of incense gilds the finish, which glides effortlessly. At a really beautiful point in its development now. Not as dense as ’05, but shows more finesse, as well as superb length and freshness.--Non-blind Le Pin vertical (December 2015). Drink now through 2025. 580 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

If one of 2004’s enduring characteristics is its freshness, then Margaux epitomizes this. It is so deliciously fresh and floating, with great black currant and blueberry fruits, pointed up by spice, mint and a sense of elegance and poise. There’s no doubt about its aging potential either: just feel that heart of firm tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WETasted from barrel in 2005, this wine showed the freshness of the vintage in its bright woodland-berry scent before settling into tannins that felt mineral, powerful and black. Directeur général Paul Pontallier commented at the time, "I consider this to be typical, absolutely, of Château Margaux." Two years on, the wine is definitively Margaux, from the fashionable scent of new oak, to the musculature and vinous strength of the fruit. The sweetness of the fraises des bois and plum seems improbable in the context of a completely dry, concentrated yet ethereal taste that doesn’t stop. The wine will taunt you with its delicate, silken power whether you drink it in ten, 20 or 30 years.Wine & Spirits | 96 W&SThe 2004 Chateau Margaux has always been a promising wine and here, served blind against the First Growths, it finally proved that patience is necessary when it comes to such wines. It has an exquisite bouquet with brilliant delineation, scents of redcurrant, raspberry coulis, cold stone (almost flint-like) with pencil-lead and cedar lending it a Pauillac-like sense of aristocratic flair. The palate is extremely well balanced with a supple opening, nigh perfect acidity with a surprisingly citric undercurrent that lends so much freshness and tension. While it does not have the weight and power of say, 2000, 2005 or 2009, it cruises along with utmost harmony and you become smitten by its charms - something that is perhaps in short supply among the First Growths in this vintage. This is excellent. Tasted September 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMBright red-ruby. Knockout nose features boysenberry, currant, cedar, graphite and mocha. Suave, gentle and sweet, already displaying ineffable inner-mouth perfume. The 17% merlot component injects a silky component, and the oak element adds a complementary sweetness. Complex, lush, horizontal finish saturates the mouth with flavor. It was not clear to me in April that the 2006 would exceed this-and it will certainly take longer to reach full maturity in bottle.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis is lovely, with enticing, velvety plum sauce, macerated red currant fruit, black tea and incense notes that have melded beautifully. This shows a lovely tug of earth at the very end, retaining some grip for further cellaring, despite being approachable now. A lovely wine.Wine Spectator | 94 WSDrinking beautifully, the 2004 Château Margaux (78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot) is all about elegance and finesse and has perfumed notes of sandalwood, dried flowers, and sweet red and black fruits all soaring from the glass. With medium body, a silky, seamless texture, ultra-fine tannin, and a great finish, it glides across the palate and is just a joy to drink. While it doesn’t have the weight or richness of a top vintage, it’s a beautiful expression of this estate. Drink it anytime over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

is a classic. Vintage 2004 has given beautifully ripe Merlot, perfectly poised, but also showing the dryness and power. It is hugely intense, structured, bringing in blackberry flavors, fresh acidity and complex wood, perfumed and rich, concentrated. The aging potential? At least 20 years.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WENo written review provided | 95 W&SThe dark plum/ruby-tinged 2004 Petrus possesses high acidity as well as copious amounts of sweet cherries and black currants intermixed with hints of cola, earth, and truffles. Deep, medium-bodied, concentrated, ripe flavors are excruciatingly firm and tannic. This backward, structured, muscular Pomerol requires a decade of cellaring, but it possesses the potential to be the longest lived wine of the vintage, lasting 30-40 years. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2035.Robert Parker | 93 RPOffers crushed berries, with chocolate and light vanilla. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit, silky tannins and a caressing texture. Very harmonious and pretty, with a balanced palate. Best after 2008. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2004 Petrus is not one of the strongest wines of the decade, though it remains a fine Pomerol. The bouquet does not hold back with splendid fruit concentration: floral top notes with pressed violets and shaved black truffles, traits I observed in previous bottles. The palate is gracefully moving into its secondary phase with touches of tobacco and warm gravel infusing the red fruit. However, there is a conservative element to this Petrus that opts to play it safe. You do not feel as if it will evolve into something more, which begs the question whether you should continue cellaring it? I see no harm in pulling bottles now, larger formats later. Vinous Media | 92 VM

This shows lots of mulled spice, warm tobacco leaf and well-roasted cedar accents, but isn’t short on fruit, offering enticing layers of red currant, plum and blackberry confiture. The long finish is riddled with sweet smoke, black tea and iron notes. A gorgeous wine from an overlooked vintage.--Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical (March 2017). Best from 2020 through 2035. 23,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSI drank this 2004 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild the other night at home with some wine producers. I decanted it only right before serving - a mistake made while concentrating on the cooking food. On the nose there were coffee and chocolate aromas with hints of vanilla. It was super fruity, and its medium body was coupled with beautifully soft tannins. This is just coming around now and it’s very New World in style. Overall, a much overlooked vintage from Mouton.James Suckling | 94 JSSupple and grand, Mouton has a heavenly richness in 2004. The flavors are saturated with blackberry and black-cherry fruit, bright on the aroma, quieter and softer in the end. The wine has a laconic beauty, closed off behind its oak and stony tannin. With several days of air, the succulence of the fruit grows more prominent as it will with 15 to 20 years of age.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SThe 2004 Mouton Rothschild is supple, forward and inviting. Dark cherry, plum, tobacco and grilled herbs are all pushed forward. This is an especially succulent Mouton, partly because of the high percentage of Merlot that was common during this era. Gravel, pencil shavings, smoke and cured meats add myriad shades of nuance on the powerful, explosive finish. Philippe Dhalluin told me he waited as long as possible to harvest in 2004, the driest vintage Mouton had seen up until that point. The blend is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot harvested between September 29 and October 15.Vinous Media | 93 VMA wine that is powerful, highly extracted and intense. The chocolate flavors and serious, dry tannins go with big, fat blackberry fruits and finishing acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEIt is probably unfair to appraise this wine with more mature siblings. It has a deep garnet core. There is good intensity on the nose with cedar, tobacco, pine forest and blackberry leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, quite masculine and obdurate at the moment with a grainy, austere finish. Moderate length. It needs to muster more charm but I remain cautiously optimistic. Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM