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This wine continues to get better and better and is certainly one of the great successes in what is a profound vintage for Bordeaux. While the wine still tastes young, it is already complex, with so much sweet tannin and lavish fruit that it is impossible to resist, even though it probably will not hit its plateau of maturity for another 5-6 years. A stunning nose of licorice, earth, cedar, Provencal herbs, black currants, asphalt, and cherries soars from the glass. Full-bodied, opulent, with fabulous concentration, a seamless texture, and remarkable stuffing and power, this low-acid, thick, almost viscous wine can be drunk now or cellared for at least another two decades. For trivia buffs, this was the wine President Chirac served former President Clinton when he hosted Clinton in Paris at the famous Parisian bistro L’Ami Louis in June, 1999. I know, because several days later President Chirac gave me the Legion of Honor. In his speech, he acknowledged the fact that President Clinton only wanted to “drink a wine rated highly by Robert Parker.” Anticipated maturity: Now-2020. Last tasted, 9/02.Robert Parker | 96 RPAn estate known for its long ageing, and here it has softened at 31 years old, but still offering silky tannins and autumnal fruits with cedar smoked oak, marzipan, dried leather and gentle truffled spice. A thoroughly enjoyable Gruaud Larose showcasing old-school St-Julien balance. Clear crushed mint leaf on the finish, utterly moreish. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend; 33% new oak. (Drink between 2021-2035)Decanter | 94 DECBright medium red with a reddish-amber rim. Pungent notes of cinnamon, quinine and rosemary complicate red cherry on the enticing, aromatic nose. Juicy and fresh on the palate, showing good density to the red fruit, peppery plum and herb flavors. Offers very good texture and chewy but noble tannins, with precise mineral-tinged fruit flavors lingering nicely on the peppery, flinty finish. A real step up in concentration from the 1989, and unlike that vintage this will still improve with further bottle age, though it’s drinking well now. Very well done.Vinous Media | 92 VM

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

Still remarkably dark, intense and youthful in appearance, this Mouton shows more flamboyant characters on the nose than other vintages, with spices, cigar-box and blackcurrant leaf all to the fore. Rich, dense and fleshy palate with plenty of stuffing for further ageing. An impressive Mouton which lives up to the ‘star’ billing for the 1995 vintage with nearly all of the components in great balance. The only question mark regards the firm, slightly drying tannins, which still need to fully integrate. I suspect they will, but the 1995 may not quite reach the height of the 1996. Harvested 12 September to 27 September. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc.Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 97 DECBottled in June, 1997, this profound Mouton is more accessible than the more muscular 1996. A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 19% Merlot, it reveals an opaque purple color, and reluctant aromas of cassis, truffles, coffee, licorice, and spice. In the mouth, the wine is "great stuff," with superb density, a full-bodied personality, rich mid-palate, and a layered, profound finish that lasts for 40+ seconds. There is outstanding purity and high tannin, but my instincts suggest this wine is lower in acidity and slightly fleshier than the brawnier, bigger 1996. Both are great efforts from Mouton-Rothschild. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2030.Robert Parker | 95 RP(72% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot and 9% cabernet franc; pH 3.68; IPT 64; 12.4% alcohol; 88% new oak; 95% selection for the grand vin): Very dark, fully saturated ruby to the rim. Deep, brooding, rich aromas of blackberry, violet, milk chocolate, black pepper, cedar and incense; sexy and captivating. Bright and focused on entry, then rich, very smooth and suave, with highly concentrated flavors of red berries, dark plum, cedar and graphite. The extremely long, juicy finish features lively acids, great balance and persistent notes of underbrush and minerals. The mounting tannins coat the palate dry and are still years away from resolving fully. Harvested from September 12 through 27, which suggests that the merlot was probably very ripe. According to Tourbier, "We included a bit more merlot than usual because we felt the cabernet sauvignon had particularly tough tannins in 1995 and we didn’t want to risk making too tough or structured a wine. So we used the merlot to soften it up a bit." The estate was so happy with the quality of the wine (and the rather high 95% selection for the grand vin speaks volumes), said Tourbier, that they only made 15 barriques of the second wine Petit Mouton, which was launched with the 1993 vintage. A huge volume year, 1995 was characterized by very fine weather through most of the growth cycle but was marred by September rains.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis explodes on the nose with prunes, blackberries, mushrooms and fresh tobacco. Full body, ripe tannins and a juicy finish. Big and powerful. Still could do with a decade or more of aging.James Suckling | 95 JSAromas of ripe fruit and grilled meat follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a long caressing finish. Very beautiful wine. Mouton shows finesse yet richness in this vintage.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2007.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A sculpted Champagne, with a steely backbone of acidity swathed in a fine and silky texture, offering rich flavors of baked apple and plum fruit, almond financier, crème de cassis, honey and toasted coconut. Long and mouthwatering, and still very, very young. Drink now through 2090. 1,500 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSCompared to the 2000, the 1996 Champagne Femme offers a touch more vibrancy and purity in a similarly rich, layered, complex style. Stone fruits, beautiful minerality, hints of charcoal, as well as a touch of brioche and nuttiness, all flow to a textured, balanced, beautifully long and layered Champagne that’s drinking brilliantly today.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD(Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne Brut) The 1996 Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne is a stunning wine that is now reaching its apogee of peak drinkability and is wide open and absolutely superb on both the nose and palate. The deep, complex and toasty bouquet offers up a classy mélange of apple, tangerine, pain grillé, a beautifully complex base of soil and a topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and toasty, with a superb core of pure fruit, crisp acids, utterly refined mousse, laser-like focus and superb length and grip on the wide open, vibrant and very classy finish. This is just a stunning bottle of bubbly. (Drink between 2012-2035)John Gilman | 95 JGDeep yellow in color the 1996 Femme de Champagne offers a complex, superbly clear, multilayered and fresh bouquet of cooked and roasted apples, citrus flavors, brioche, apricots, a touch of caramel and a hint of farmyard smell. Medium-bodied but full-flavored, clear and complex on the palate this is a stimulatingly and persistently pure, fresh and minerally flavored Champagne with citrus flavors in the aftertaste. Impressively vital and young this delicate but expressive Champagne is lovely to drink today but can be stored for another decade.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe estate’s 1996 Brut Femme de Champagne is really quite pretty in the way it balances some of the more mature notes from extended lees aging with the freshness of the vintage. To be sure, this isn’t a blockbuster 1996, but the Femme de Champagne offers plenty of class and elegance in an approachable, delicate style for the vintage. The rich, radiant fruit flows effortlessly through to the long, satisfying finish. This is a terrific effort from Duval-Leroy. This is Lot L9250N. Disgorged September 7th, 2009.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

The 1996 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is really beginning to drink with style, wafting from the glass with an inviting nose of blackberries, cassis, cherries, rich soil tones, Cuban cigar and subtle hints of mint and bergamot. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with an expansive, sumptuous core of fruit that’s underpinned by ripe acids and ripe, powdery virile tannins, it concludes with a long, penetrating and sapid finish. This unusually Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated vintage was tightly wound for its first two decades, but as time passes it’s the château signature that’s dominating the cépagement. It’s one of the wines of the vintage in 1996.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 1996 Pichon-Lalande has long been one of my favorite wines from this period. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot, it has a quintessential Pauillac nose: very intense, brilliant and delineated, with pure blackberry, graphite and mint aromas bursting from the glass. The palate seems to have softened just a little over the last couple of years, and there is great depth here. Dense black fruit, laced with cedar, hints of espresso and leather, fans out toward the grippy finish, which is just beginning to entertain more secondary aromas of sage and spice on the aftertaste. In many ways the ’96 presages the style of wine that Nicolas Glumineau pursues today. Brilliant. Tasted at a vertical tasting at the château.Vinous Media | 96 VMI have had better bottles of this particular vintage from Pichon Comtesse, and in this lineup the Pichon Baron is the one that stood out, but this is still a brilliant wine and is rightly considered to be among the best of the vintage. Full of concentrated blackberry and blackcurrant fruits, with sweet cedar and saffron spice notes as it opens, gentle liquorice root and charred oak on the finish. A higher proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the bottle than in most years (certainly at the time), and it has helped it to remain enticingly firm. 50% of production went into the first wine.Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.Decanter | 95 DEC(Château Pichon-Lalande) The 1996 Château Pichon-Lalande is a fine wine in the making, but this is one of the longest distance runners in the stable of the last quarter century here and the wine is still many years away from fully softening up on the backend and drinking at its apogee. The bouquet is still quite youthful and very promising, offering up a lovely mix of cassis, sweet dark berries, gravel, a hint of black tea, tobacco leaf, smoke and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with fine focus and grip, sound acids and outstanding balance on the youthful and energetic finish. There is plenty of inner fruit density here to carry the tannins, so I have no worries about the balance of this wine and if one is young enough, then eventually, they will have a really lovely bottle on their hands. But, patience is still very much necessary for this structured wine! (Drink between 2032-2095)John Gilman | 94 JGPresents a taut, brisk feeling, with savory, cedar, singed vanilla and pencil shaving notes weaving around a core of bramble, cassis and blackberry fruit. The cedary spine holds the finish, offering an old-school feel. Should last a while, though it won’t flesh out any more. For fans of the more austere style.--Non-blind Pichon Lalande vertical (July 2014). Drink now through 2030.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Seven years ago I said this was a monumental wine, and at two different recent tastings, it was a true star of the vintage. Its stunning dark plum color offers up notes of caramelized red and black fruits, toffee, smoke, Asian plum sauce, sweet cherries, chocolate, and espresso. Its spectacular aromatics do not disappoint on the palate, as this multi-dimensional, highly complex, opulent wine seems to have hit a magical point in its evolution. Full-bodied, and concentrated, there is no issue with drinking this dazzling effort now, but those who own it can certainly cellar it for another 15 or more years. Bravo!Robert Parker | 96 RPThis is a ripe and intense red with a layered and intense character of chocolate and dried tomatoes. Full-bodied, layered and spicy with cloves and dried thyme. Very flavorful.James Suckling | 95 JSThis is rather dramatic, with lush, layered blackberry puree and mocha notes that just keep going and going, picking up juicy black licorice and Black Forest cake flavors along the way. This has the spine to pull it off but is really for the all-hedonism-only crowd.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2025. 1,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSFull ruby-red. Superripe, alluring aromas of raspberry, cherry liqueur, mocha, coffee, game, violet and truffle. Thick, concentrated and sexy, with perfectly integrated acidity giving the wine uncanny vivacity and lightness of touch considering its great ripeness and richness. Underlying minerality contributes to the impression of precision. Very intensely flavored and long on personality. An utterly captivating drink.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the medium to deep garnet-brick colored 2000 Ducru-Beaucaillou charges out of the gate with flamboyant scents of baked black currants, raisin cake, prunes, Chinese five spice and eucalyptus plus touches of cigar box, new leather and cast iron pan. Medium-bodied, the palate is remarkably refreshing with all these decadent spice and dried berries layers coating the palate, textured by soft, powdery tannins, finishing long and mineral laced. Stunning!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPI must admit that I was a little unimpressed with the Ducru 2000 in the beginning when I tasted it after bottling in 2003. But it’s clearly outstanding now and seems to get better and better with age. It shows wonderful aromas of roses and currants with hints of mint. It’s full body yet very finely textured with pretty fruit concentration and length.James Suckling | 96 JSThis has mature hints, but there’s great focus as the cedar, bay and leather notes race along with, rather than pull away from, the core of fig and blackberry fruit flavors. The long, bittersweet cocoa–dusted finish provides a solid bass line.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 17,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Ducru-Beaucaillou) The 2000 vintage in Bordeaux is generally in a pretty sullen point of its evolution at the moment, but the 2000 Ducru-Beaucaillou was actually still showing a lot of charm and polish to its powerful veneer at our vertical tasting in Saarbrücken in late March. The bouquet is deep, ripe and classically pure in the Ducru style, offering up scents of cassis, black cherries, gravelly soil tones, tobacco leaf, a touch of dried herbs and still plenty of spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite sappy at the core, with modest acids, firm, ripe tannins, fine focus and nascent complexity and a very long, youthful and tannic finish that still needs a few more years to fully integrate its new wood component. This is still at least a decade away from blossoming and the real fireworks with this excellent vintage of Ducru will not start for another twenty years! A fine example. (Drink between 2022-2075)John Gilman | 94 JGBright ruby-red, less saturated than the 2002. Very pure aromas of cassis, minerals and mocha, with a hint of raw berries. Juicy, pure and tightly wound, with intense flavors of dark berries, bitter chocolate, espresso and licorice. Broadens impressively on the long, aromatic, suave finish, showing lovely grip and class. Finer than Borie’s 2000 Grand Puy Lacoste and in need of longer aging but not clearly stronger.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

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

The completeness of 2001, with its miraculous balance, is present in this wine. The acidity, ripe blackcurrants sit comfortably on top of dry tannins, the fleshiness of the fruit taking the edge off the tannins. It seems to bring out the structure, the fruit and the refreshing acidity of great Cabernet.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is one of the best vintages of the past 30 years, utterly and absolutely gorgeous. It was first vintage made with Isabelle Davin as the in-house oenologist. Rich and welcoming fruit structure, effortless in how it makes its presence felt, with a mouthwatering finish of charcoal and slate that tempers any suspicions of over-ripeness. This is floating out of the glass, it’s currently at that moment when the great Médoc wines take flight. Even with the gloss of Léoville Poyferré there is no mistaking those Médoc tannins. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040Decanter | 94 DECThe 2001 Léoville Poyferré, which I had not tasted for a decade, is very harmonious on the nose and features slightly darker fruit than the 2000, offering blackberry, cedar, fresh tobacco and smoke aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with rounded, lithe tannins, fresher than the 2000 and more backward. It has a disarming velvety texture and turns spicy toward the finish. Hints of clove and bay leaf linger on the aftertaste. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review provided. | 93 W&SSweet notions of plums, black currants, caramel, and spicy oak are provocative and alluring. Subtle but substantial, layered, and textured, with medium body as well as sexy, up-front flavors, low acidity, and ripe tannin, this beauty is among the most evolved and flamboyant of the appellation. Nevertheless, it should age well. Anticipated maturity: now-2016.Robert Parker | 90 RPSmoky and rich with lots of spice and berries. Medium- to full-bodied, with very good tannins with soft and silky texture and a medium finish. Not as impressive in bottle as barrel, but outstanding. Best after 2008. 20,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A stunning edition of one of the great vintage Champagnes that sees immense power and freshness carry the inherent complexity that is the cornerstone of the Bollinger style. Lemon rind, chalk, lime juice and light-grilled nuts here, this has terrific freshness and fragrant lift, gently sweet biscuity complexity here too. The palate’s crisp, powerful, assertive and long, delivering a wealth of apple, melon and citrus fruit flavour amid lemon biscuit, almond nougat and a jousting savoury vs. cleansing finish. It’s superb now, but will grow and develop handsomely for some years if well cellared. Drink from 2016.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2002 Brut La Grande Annee is marvelous. The 2002 is an understated Grande Annee that caresses the palate with layers of effortless, weightless fruit. The mousse is exceptionally fine, which adds to the impression of total elegance. This is a relatively bright, floral Grande Annee with plenty of aromatic lift, inner perfume and no sense of heaviness at all. A rich, creamy finish adds the final note of complexity and pedigree. The 2002 is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, 71% from Grand Cru villages and 29% from Premier Crus. Disgorged February 2011. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.Robert Parker | 94 RP(60% pint noir and 40% chardonnay; 71% of the fruit is from grand cru sites and rest from premier crus; disgorged February, 2011): Light gold. Ripe pear and honey on the explosively perfumed nose, with sexy floral and marzipan nuances expanding with air. Fat, full and palate-coating, boasting impressive power and thrust. Shows an intriguing blend of richness and energy and finishes long, with smoky and spicy nuances.Vinous Media | 94 VMRipe, appealing flavors of peach, Gala apple, toast and blood orange mix with a streak of minerality and notes of spice, all set on the fine-grained texture. Fresh and focused, with racy acidity and a long, mouthwatering, nut-tinged finish. Drink now through 2025. 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSIn contrast to the heightened expressiveness of the 2004 Grande Année Rosé this is actually quite restrained with discreet notes of green apple, pear and citrus peel. The delicious, intense and voluminous flavors enjoy a prominent effervescence that is almost foamy yet the bead is strikingly fine, all wrapped in a distinctly yeasty, dry and admirably complex finish that goes on and on. This too could be enjoyed now or held for a number of years to come depending on how much yeast character you like.Burghound | 93 BH(Bollinger Grande Année Brut Millésime (Aÿ) The 2002 Bollinger Grande Année is a lovely wine that is drinking very well today and shows plenty of structural integrity to keep on cruising at this fine level for another fifteen years or more. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a mature blend of apple, peach, lovely soil tones, a touch of honeycomb, warm biscuits and a fair bit of smokiness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and beautifully balanced, with a fine core, elegant mousse, crisp acids and lovely length and grip on the wide open and classy finish. (Drink between 2015-2030)John Gilman | 93 JG

There are tannins, structure and power, but also supreme elegance. The 2004 acidity comes through in the sweet cassis flavors, supported at the back by dry tannins. Currently, the wine is closed up, losing some of its fresh fruit, but this is a moment in its slow evolution towards a classic Latour.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEA terrific effort from Administrator Frederic Engerer and owner Francois Pinault, the dark ruby/purple-tinged 2004 Latour exhibits a strong cassis character intermixed with notes of crushed rocks, earth, cedar, and forest floor. Racy, elegant, but powerful with medium to full body, and sweet tannin, it will benefit from 5-7 years of cellaring, and should keep for three decades. It is a very impressive offering. Robert Parker | 95 RPCaptivating aromas of currant, black licorice and spices, with just a hint of sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long, long finish. Structured and racy. Best after 2011. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2004 Latour checks in as a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and a splash of Cabernet Franc, all aged in new French oak. It shows the more elegant, silky style of the vintage, yet with plenty of Latour grandeur and depth in its ripe cassis, smoky mineral, graphite, and saddle leather aromas and flavors. It’s medium to full-bodied, impressively concentrated, and has serious length, as well as another two decades of longevity, although it’s certainly drinking beautifully today.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBright ruby-red. Classic aromas of currant, plum, graphite and minerals. Suave and smooth in the mouth, with a compelling sweetness and lushness for the vintage. At once easygoing and wonderfully complex, conveying a powerful soil character. The finish is ripely tannic, sweet and very long. This is wonderfully expressive today but the young 2006 may have even longer aging potential. Along with Chateau Margaux, my candidate for wine of the vintageVinous Media | 94 VMThe modern Latour has a vast architectural presence. The edges of ferrous power here are tamed on a supple texture, though the choice seems to have been to trade some freshness for that textural grace. The tannins have the potent austerity that grows out of Latour’s deep hill of stones. Closed off for now, the fruit aspect of the wine will not likely show for more than a decade, and the wine will likely need 20 years to reach maturity.Wine and Spirits | 94 W&SThis is surprisingly approachable, especially from a big bottle. It’s soft and fruity with balsamic and sweet tobacco character. Full and round mouthfeel. It will obviously improve with age, but why wait? Served from imperial bottle.James Suckling | 93 JS

This small jewel of a property owned by the Garcin family has been making great wine for a number of years, with the only problem being its very limited availability. Their beautifully deep 2005 has a dark purple color and displays charcoal, blackberry and cassis fruit, with some smoky barbecue notes in the background. This full-bodied, opulent wine is still youthful at age 10, and promises to continue to evolve for another 15-20 years. Pure and stunning, this is a great wine of the vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPVery good saturated deep red. Cherry, plum, smoke and warm earth on the nose, lifted by spices and menthol. Fat, sweet, lush and impressively concentrated; comes across as more powerful but less pliant today than the 2006, with a firm tannic structure for a wine from this property. Not at all over the top; in fact, this gives the impression of a lower pH than the 2006 today. May be even better than it’s showing now.Vinous Media | 92+ VMAromas of crushed blackberry, tobacco and wet earth follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a clean, fruity finish. There’s lots of chocolate, vanilla bean and fruit in the aftertaste. Best after 2012. 665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

A meaty and decadent Lynch with very ripe currant aromas on the nose. Full body, velvety-textured tannins and a powerful finish. It shows so much structure and fruit yet remains polished and focused. Lovely now to drink but better in 2017.James Suckling | 96 JSTextbook, with mouthfilling and slightly gutsy black currant, fig and blackberry fruit flavors bound together by singed cedar, iron and tobacco notes. Features a tug of loam followed by a second wave of fruit through the finish. This is just starting to stretch out.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2040. 35,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSClassic Lynch-Bages with just a bit of extra power and richness. While the tannins are structured, it is the velvety fruit that rolls around the mouth that is the most dominant character. It is coming together into a wine that will be big and dense, but never over the top.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2005 Lynch-Bages is a surprising wine. Whereas so many 2005s have begun to enter their first plateau of early maturity, the 2005 comes across as still young and in need of further cellaring! The purity of the fruit is striking. Readers who want to get the full Lynch-Bages experience will have to wait at least a few more years. The 2005 is a wine of substance and depth, with all of the raciness that is typical of this wine. It is one of the dark horses of the vintage, and still has room to go. Impressive.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGAlmost forward but still young; spicy cassis lifts and lengthens its rich dark berry flavours. One of the best Lynch-Bages ever.Decanter | 94 DECAs for the 2005 Lynch-Bages, it is a sexy, surprisingly soft and accessible style of wine, with a deep ruby/purple color, loads of crème de cassis, cedar wood and forest floor notes, medium to full body, ripe tannin and a long, fleshy finish. Drink it over the next 15+ years.Robert Parker | 92 RP

Fragrant, with notes of chalk and spring blossom on the nose, this fresh and focused version offers a finely detailed, lacy palate of white raspberry, peach skin, toast and candied ginger flavors. Long and creamy on the spice- and smoke-laced finish. Disgorged November 2016. Drink now through 2030. 99 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSHoney and roses with fresh almonds and an array of dried berries, amid deep, rich, toasted-nut, autolysis character. The palate has a bold array of rich, concentrated berry flavors in a fresh core, surrounded by a warming wrap of grilled hazelnuts. Roasted coffee to close. Terrific complexity. Drink now.James Suckling | 95 JSContaining some 6% red wine from Bollinger’s La Côte aux Enfants vineyard, the 2007 La Grande Année Rosé offers up a complex bouquet of dried orange peel, walnuts, confit lemon and crisp orchard fruit. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, chalky and structured, with bright acids and a more overtly phenolic chassis than its white counterpart, concluding with a long, delicately nutty finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe age shows in the onion-skin color of this wine. On the palate it reveals itself in the sort of toastiness for which this producer is famed. The fruit is ripe, still hinting at red berries while moving much more to spice, almonds and mature acidity. Drink this remarkable wine now.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE(Bollinger “Grande Année” Brut Rosé Millésime) The 205 Bollinger “Grande Année” Brut Rosé is an excellent wine and is drinking very well indeed, with a vibrancy on the nose and backend energy that is most impressive. The bouquet offers up a fine combination of tangerine, wild strawberries, wheat toast, chalky minerality and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and zesty, with a very suave attack, a lovely core, elegant mousse and a long, refined and bouncy finish of impressive complexity and delineation. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2018-2035)John Gilman | 93 JGThis gains its light pink color from six percent of still pinot noir wine from Bollinger’s Côte aux Enfants vineyard. It’s tight, austere and tannic, still youthfully inaccessible at more than ten years of age. The scents of red apple skin, hibiscus and sage complement the red fruit, adding spicy intensity that lasts on the breath. Built to cellar. Vintus, Pleasantville, NYWine & Spirits | 93 W&SMade entirely in barrels, the 2007 rosé includes 6% red wine from the Côtes aux Enfants. With notes of redcurrant, mint and spring flowers, the bouquet is lively, energetic and subtle. The palate is moderately dense, well-defined and fresh. It’s beautifully balanced and calls for a carpaccio of raw salmon.Decanter | 92 DEC(Bollinger Brut - La Grande Année Rosé Rosé) A restrained, cool and relatively high-toned nose features notes of raspberry, cherry, strawberry, yeast and a hint of quinine. There is an equal sense of restraint to the almost delicate middle weight flavors that possess good energy thanks to the firm but fine mousse that also suffuses the delicious, clean, dry and crisp finale. This is certainly a very pretty effort but it doesn’t have a lot to say in terms of complexity, at least not at present, and as such I would be inclined to allow this to slumber for another 3 to 5 years. (Drink starting 2022).Burghound | 90 BH

Like a stallion out of the gate, this shows an initial explosion of power, in the form of mouthwatering flavors and fine texture, before quickly settling into an elegant gait. The racy acidity is seamlessly knit, buoying the lacy mousse and flavors of cassis, toasted brioche and tangerine, with accents of candied ginger, hazelnut and fleur de sel lingering on the long, creamy finish. Drink now through 2035. 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA gorgeous, yet tight, backward vintage for this cuvée, the 2008 Champagne Rare is based on 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir with around 10 grams of dosage. Beautiful crisp citrus and stone fruits as well as flinty minerality and just hint of brioche emerge from the glass, and it takes hours for this to really unwind and show its potential. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has bright acidity, terrific concentration, and a great finish. I wouldn’t think about opening another bottle for a solid 5-7 years, but it should have 30 years or more of ultimate longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDA lively first nose of candied lemon, guava, also a hint of lime. With aeration, notes of almonds and almond flowers come to the fore. On the palate, there is a nervy tension that energises its fine, crystalline texture. This is an upright and elegant Champagne whose long, airy finish is mouthwatering. After some time in the glass, it evolves towards notes of smoke, flint and vanilla. A sumptuous Champagne. Disgorged: November 2019. Dosage: 9g/L. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECThe newly released 2008 Brut Cuvée Rare is very promising, unwinding in the glass with a youthfully reserved nose of citrus oil, crisp green apple, freshly baked bread, iodine and oyster shell, as well as some rather herbaceous characteristics that depress my score a little, even if I suspect that they will resolve with a bit more bottle age. Medium to full-bodied, incisive and tightly wound, if the 2006 vintage was gourmand and demonstrative, the 2008 is slower to show all its cards. Built around racy acids and complemented by a pillowy mousse, this rendition of Cuvée Rare will reward a few years more on cork.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

This strikes exactly the right note aromatically: it’s wonderfully sexy, smoky, intriguing and tantalising. On the palate it follows up these aromatics perfectly with silky-smooth tannins and well brushed damson and black cherry fruits. It’s fully ripe but still with give and subtlety. Great stuff! 2009 saw the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon ever included in this wine. Drinking Window 2020 - 2044Decanter | 96 DECThe 2009 Calon-Ségur is deep garnet in color and opens with a beautiful fragrance of redcurrant preserves, cassis, black cherry compote and red roses plus nuances of cigar box and cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied and wonderfully elegant in the mouth, it has a compelling line of very ripe, fine-grained tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the fragrant layers, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPDelivers gorgeous aromas of blackberry, blueberry and licorice, with hints of tobacco and spice. Full-bodied, offering a lovely texture and refinement. Very long and beautiful, with tangy acidity and lively fruit. A rich, yet very balanced, Calon. This is almost all Cabernet Sauvignon instead of the normal blend with 40 percent Merlot. The château is now using 100 percent new wood. Like the changes.Wine Spectator | 96 WSWith a lot of fennel and earth character this is a classic St.-Estèphe, but on the palate it has a suppleness that’s modern in the best sense. Needs time to soften. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSA big step up over the 2008 and, I suspect, the finest wine from this estate in the 2000s, the 2009 Château Calon Ségur reveals a healthy ruby hue to go with textbook notes of red and black currants, tobacco leaf, damp earth, gamey meats, and Asian-like spices. This is classic, traditionally made Bordeaux, with full-bodied richness, a layered, structure mouthfeel, wonderful sweetness of fruit, and a great finish. A wine that starts out tight and reserved yet builds with air, don’t be afraid to give bottles plenty of air if drinking any time soon. It’s certainly in its drink window, yet also has another 30-40 years of longevity ahead of it.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD(Château Calon-Ségur) Our vertical tasting in Washington was again the first time I had seen the 2009 Calon- Ségur, as I had not tasted the wine during En Primeur, and I was very, very impressed with the quality and style of this wine. The cépages is fully ninety percent cabernet sauvignon in this vintage, and the perfectly ripe, but not overripe cabernet has made this an instant classic. The beautifully ripe and pure nose wafts from the glass in a vibrant blend of black cherries, sweet dark berries, cigar smoke, dark soil tones, pungent violets and a suave base of nutty new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very classy on the attack, with a rock solid core of pure fruit, superb soil inflection, impeccable focus and balance, ripe, fine-grained tannins and outstanding length and grip on the seamless and youthfully complex finish. This is a great vintage of Calon-Ségur in the making! (Drink between 2022-2065)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2009 Calon-Ségur has a classic Saint-Estèphe bouquet with pencil box and freshly tilled earth on the nose, beautifully defined if not with quite the same pedigree that François Millet imparts into the Grand Vin nowadays. (Less Merlot here than other examples.) The palate is medium-bodied, masculine in style, a little closed at first, strict and detailed yet missing some flesh and density on the finish. Unlike the bottle poured blind a week later that was much more exuberant and higher-toned. It is a fine Calon-Ségur but it is shaded by say the 2014, 2015 and 2016. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a little reticent to begin, slowly giving way to notions of warm black cherries, blackcurrant cordial, stewed plums and sautéed herbs with hints of damp soil, tobacco and beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with tightly wound black fruit and earthy layers, framed by ripe, fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness making for a long, lively finish. Classic!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPRoederer Estates had owned Pichon Comtesse for three years prior to the 2009 vintage, having taken over in 2006, with Gildas d’Ollone as managing director and Thomas Do-Chi-Nam as technical director. Together, they created a stunning, lyrical 2009 that just begs to be savoured. It’s ripe and intense, rippling with juicy blackberry and blackcurrant fruit and touches of violet on the nose. A beautifully balanced wine. Drinking Window 2021 - 2046Decanter | 97 DECWhat a great nose of blackberries, currants and spices. Hints of fresh herbs. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and lovely fruit. Such finesse and beauty. Wonderful to taste. Reminds me of the legendary 1982. Try in 2018.James Suckling | 96 JSA seductive wine, deliciously ripe with the softest, juiciest fruit over smoky new wood. The wine shows intense fruit as well as a soft Merlot core. The tannins are beautifully integrated in this ripely sweet wine.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2009 Pichon-Lalande offers copious scents of boysenberry, cassis and blue fruit on the nose, a little smudged compared to the Pichon Baron but very pure. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very rounded in the mouth thanks to the precocious Merlot content, sage and orange rind developing towards the caressing finish. A very sensual Pichon-Lalande, tempting. A great wine although the 2010 has the upper hand. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits’ Ten Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe ripe red currant, blackberry and boysenberry fruit is layered with black licorice snap, fruitcake and plum sauce notes. Has the fleshier edge of the vintage but retains a solidly racy graphite spine through the finish. A step behind the ’10 in density and energy, though hardly a slouch.--Non-blind Pichon Lalande vertical (July 2014). Best from 2018 through 2035. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(Château Pichon-Lalande) The 2009 Pichon Lalande is cut from the same slinky, sumptuous cloth as the 2009 Lafite-Rothschild, which should not be surprising, as this is a style that was mastered at Pichon Lalande as far back as the 1982. The nose is deep, complex and quite ripe, as it offers up scents of dark berries, espresso, tobacco leaf, gravelly soil tones, fresh herbs and plenty of smoky, nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very plush and velvety on the attack, with a fine core of fruit, excellent length and focus and a ripely tannic and decidedly low acid finish. I cannot think of any previous vintage of Pichon Lalande that shared the 2009’s combination of substantial tannins and extremely low acids- it will be very interesting to see how this wine evolves over time. My score may be just a tad conservative, but I do not have any experience with how a wine structured like this will evolve with extended bottle age. (Drink between 2018-2040)John Gilman | 90-92+ JG

A vintage that just no question suits the soils of St-Julien. This is yet again showcasing the best of this property, with well placed juicy tannins and overall clear balance. Elegant and concentrated without straying into overpowering. Black fruits, stones, earth and spice. Will age for decades but it so drinkable already. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2010 Branaire-Ducru has a lovely mélange of red and black fruit, hints of dried blood and autumn leaves suggesting that this is moving into its secondary phase. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, good body and a fresh marine-tinged finish that is an absolute joy. There is an abiding symmetry about this wine and it is in for the long-haul. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis rich, full wine shows the chateau to be at the top of its form. It’s finely balanced, pushing both its fruit and acidity, with the tannins taking the supporting role. With its power leashed, this shows the stylish side of Saint-Julien, although it will certainly age for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA layered young red with lots of black olives and berries on the nose. Full body, with velvety and chewy tannins. It all comes together at the end with a lovely sweet fruit. Try after 2017.James Suckling | 94 JSThis wine is more backward than I would have normally expected, but nevertheless, it is very impressive. The 2010 Branaire-Ducru displays an inky bluish purple color and loads of mulberry, raspberry, black currant, graphite and floral notes in its intense aromatics. Medium to full-bodied , with sensational ripeness, purity, texture and length, the tannins are slightly more prominent than I remember from barrel, but they are sweet and ripe (as opposed to astringent and bitter). This beautiful wine needs 4-6 years of cellaring and should keep 25-30 years.Producer Patrick Maroteaux continues to fine-tune and turn out a succession of brilliant wines from this chateau, which sits across the famous Medoc Route du Vin from Beychevelle.Robert Parker | 94 RPVery polished and stylish, with a velvety feel to the layers of crushed plum, currant and blackberry, while bittersweet cocoa and black licorice glide in on the gorgeous, black tea-infused finish. Features a lovely allure rather than raw power, making this possibly the prettiest St.-Julien of the vintage. There’s plenty in the tank for cellaring as well. Best from 2014 through 2030. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Branaire-Ducru) The 2010 Branaire-Ducru has turned out very well indeed in this vintage, but this is an estate that has often done quite well in riper years like 1982 and 1989. The nose is deep, impressively pure and sappy, as it offers up scents of blackberries, black cherries, cigar smoke, soil, espresso and toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, tight and ripely tannic, with a fine core of fruit, very good balance and a long, poised and reserved finish. This will need the better part of a decade to soften and start to drink well (in notable contrast to ripe vintages such as 1989, where Branaire-Ducru was irresistible out of the blocks), but this should be a very good example of 2010, once it has had sufficient time in the cellar. (Drink between 2020-2060).John Gilman | 91+ JG

This is an architectural wine, very classical in its structure like so many of the top wines of 2010. It’s powered by ripe tannins and beautiful black currant fruits. While the wine is gorgeously ripe, it also has a powerful dark and structured character. For long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WESure pure fruit to this red with a minerality and floral undertone. You can smell the warm stones. Full body, with a beautiful depth of fruit and velvety tannins. Dense and balanced. Layered with a light salty and meaty character as well. Great length. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. Try in 2017.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2010 is performing well,. With Cabernet Sauvignon dominating the blend, the wine has a dense plum/purple color along with notes of underbrush, black currants, plum, licorice, smoky charcuterie and some roasted herbs in the background. Full-bodied, moderately tannic and set for an extremely long life, this will not be a wine to please those looking for immediate gratification. Rather, I would suspect this wine will close down even further in bottle and, despite its full-bodied, powerful, massive size, it will need at least a decade of cellaring before it is accessible. This is another 2010 capable of lasting 35-50 years.Robert Parker | 94+ RPThe 2010 Calon-Ségur has a slightly gamey bouquet, vibrant and energetic with plenty of red and black fruit. This appears to gain complexity with aeration, revealing hidden facets with each swirl of the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and a really gorgeous, surprisingly fleshy but focused finish that exudes style and class. What a lovely wine. You could almost broach this now although I prefer to leave this a few more years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 94 VMOn May 9, 2010, a hailstorm took a heavy toll on the estate’s vineyard, so yields were down to around 30hl/ha. The resulting wine is both profound and seductive, expressing a compelling combination of fresh and floral but also powerful and spicy scents. The ample palate also presents a marvelous mix of delicacy and racy tannic force, and even the long finish has this element of a double character, in this instance, a sun-drenched style and structure that ends with a final flourish of freshness. Drinking Window 2022 - 2035.Decanter | 94 DEC(Château Calon-Ségur) I did not have the opportunity to taste the 2010 Calon-Ségur during my En Primeur visit in the spring of 2011, as Madame Gasqueton was a bit difficult to make an appointment with that year and she condescended to receive my friends only on a day while I was still in Germany tasting the 2010ers. Consequently, I was very curious to see how this wine had turned out in this difficult and overrated vintage, and I found it to be one of the better 2010s that I have tasted, though with a bit of the grittiness to the tannin structure that is emblematic of this year. The bouquet is ripe, but pure in its blend of red and black cherries, Cuban cigar wrappers, dark chocolate, dark soil tones, smoke and nutty new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and still quite primary, with a fine core of fruit, ripe, slightly harsh tannins and excellent length and grip on the decidedly “cool-fruited” finish. This is a very good 2010, but to my palate, it was not in the same league as the other two wines in this flight- the 2009 and 2008 Calon. I would also have to give the slight edge to both the 2012 and 2011 at this estate over this more powerful 2010 Calon. But, that said, this is a very strong example of this vintage. (Drink between 2025-2065)John Gilman | 92+ JG

Dense purple, with classic notes of cedar and lead pencil shavings as well as gobs of back currants and licorice, the wine has a full-bodied mouthfeel with fabulous precision and density. It also possesses a long, silky finish with moderately high tannins, but they are ripe and well-integrated. The wood is clearly pushed to the background in this dense, full-bodied Pauillac, which should drink beautifully for 30+ years.If you can’t afford Lafite-Rothschild (few can)or even their second wine, Carruades de Lafite, you still have Duhart Milon, which has become a profound wine over the last 5-7 years due to the extensive amount of attention and investment the Rothschilds have pumped into this estate. This blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot is fabulous, a dead ringer for Lafite in a great vintage. (It is probably better than many of the Lafites of the 1960s and 1970s, and even some of the vintages in the 1980s).Robert Parker | 96 RPGravel over limestone, similar to Château Lafite Rothschild and under the same ownership. Cooler northern exposure of the terroir requires more time to ripen, but that was no problem in 2010. This has ripe fruit with graphite and wet stone. It may not be as dense as Clerc Milon, but the expression of finesse and refinement is unmistakable. Long, subtle finish. Pleasing, high-toned fruit perfectly matches grilled lamb chops with roast potatoes. Drinking Window 2021 - 2045.Decanter | 95 DECLike a lot of 2010s, the 2010 Duhart-Milon-Rothschild is tight and backward, yet has serious potential. Sporting a deep ruby/purple color and classic notes of currants, lead pencil shavings, cedarwood and saddle leather, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a tight, firm focused texture and beautiful concentration. Its tannins are present, yet ripe and integrated, and it has the purity and freshness that’s the hallmark of this great, great vintage. Give bottles another 2-3 years and it should keep for two to three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDA wine with an intense sous bois, fresh tobacco and dried flower character on the nose and palate. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and an attractive finish. It’s structured yet polished with a beauty and stature. Try in 2015.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2010 Duhart-Milon has a backward nose that is going through a dumb phase. There is plenty of fruit here but it is “locked down” at the moment. The palate is very well defined with crisp acidity, fine-boned tannins and superb balanced. It is not a deep or grippy Pauillac, but it feels...streamlined, athletic and wonderfully poised on the graphite infused finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 93 VMJuicy black currant fruit mingles with bright acidity and dark-chocolate tannins. This often overlooked château, with the same production team as Lafite-Rothschild, has an intense and concentrated 2010, balanced superbly between firmness and fruitiness.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEWell-polished, with sleek edges to the fleshy plum, cassis and blackberry fruit, while the finish is embedded with black licorice and violet notes. Approachable now, but the stuffing is there to cellar this for a bit. Drink now through 2025.Wine Spectator | 91 WS(Château Duhart-Milon) While both the Carruades and Lafite steer clear of any signs of overripeness in this vintage, the same cannot be said for the 2010 Château Duhart-Milon, which, while not overtly overripe, does show a rather forceful personality that is rather out of character. The bouquet is deep, very ripe and quite powerful, as it offers up scents of cassis, dark berries, cigar ash, gravelly soil tones, tobacco leaf and new oak. On the palate the wine is full, broad-shouldered and really a bit four-square at the present time, with a rock solid core, plenty of firm, well-integrated tannins and a very good grip on the long and palate-staining finish. This will need some extended cellaring to soften, but it is hard to imagine that it will ever develop the customary charm of this property. This is another 2010 where the ripeness of the vintage has seemingly robbed this wine of a bit of focus and detail, and it is an open question if those qualities can be revived with extended cellaring. (Drink between 2022-2050)John Gilman | 88-90+ JG

The 2015 L’Eglise-Clinet is one of the wines of the vintage. Even better from bottle than it was from barrel, the 2015 towers out of the glass with stunning power and richness. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco and menthol are some of the many notes pulse through this riveting Pomerol. There is plenty of structure, but the tannins are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Hints of lavender, smoke, spice, licorice reappear to round out the finish. L’Eglise-Clinet is 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, aged in 70% new oak. More importantly, the 2015 is a total pleasure bomb. This a fabulous wine from Denis Durantou. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGThe violets, roses and dark fruits are so evident but they entice you in a subtle and fresh way. Full-bodied, dense and tannic, yet everything is so in tune with everything else and there are no hard edges or loose ends. It’s like a whirlpool that draws you down and then shows you its beauty. The harmony and complexity is phenomenal. Try in 2024 but I don’t want to wait.James Suckling | 99 JSComposed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 L’Eglise Clinet comes bursting out of the glass with a gorgeous perfume of exotic spices and potpourri over a core of blueberry compote, red currant jelly, spiced black plums and mulberries with touches of unsmoked cigars, powdered cinnamon and licorice. Big, rich and full-bodied, the palate offers exquisite harmony, packed with exotic spice and red and black fruit layers, finishing on an epically long-lasting mineral note. In an understated word: WOW.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis delivers a fresh, enticing beam of raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry coulis flavors that stretch out admirably while light anise, singed apple wood and fruitcake notes check in. Picks up some sneaky grip and a pretty mineral twinge through the finish. Rather elegant overall considering how much is here. Best from 2020 through 2035. 1,510 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe second wine of Eglise Clinet, the 2015 La Petite Eglise is a pretty, elegant, even Burgundian, 2015 that opens up beautifully with time in the glass, Ripe red currants, cherries, sandalwood, cedary spice, and dried floral notes all emerge from this medium-bodied 2015 that has fine tannin and a great finish. It’s certainly not a blockbuster but excels on its finesse and elegance. Drink it anytime over the coming decade. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to taste the top cuvee from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de Mon Aïeul is another gorgeous wine from this family estate. As always it comes from three Grenache parcels: la Serres, La Crau and La Guigasse (there are 2 hectares in each parcel). In both 2015 and 2016 this cuvée wasn’t destemmed and was brought up mostly in tank, with 15-20% in demi-muids. The 2016 spent a huge 45 days on skins before being pressed to barrel. This beauty offers the fine, finesse-driven style of the vintage, yet has full-bodied depth and richness as well as sensational notes of framboise, crushed flowers, licorice, Christmas fruitcake and spice. It’s in the top handful of wines in the vintage and will benefit from short-term cellaring and have 20+ years of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD(aged entirely in concrete vats) Lurid ruby-red. Exotic, intensely perfumed aromas of candied red and blue fruits, lavender and peppery spices, joined by a slowly emerging hint of garrigue. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated raspberry, cherry and fruitcake flavors and a spicy suggestion of white pepper. Shows excellent focus and a seamless quality on the finish, which is framed by suave, slow-building tannins.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMA bolder, more concentrated and compressed expression with darker plum and cherry fruits on the nose and palate. The power and concentration here is impressive. Gently chocolate-flavored at the finish. Terrific wine. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSNext to the traditional cuvée, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is even riper and more concentrated, but that’s not always a good thing. This all-Grenache cuvée offers fudge-like density and rich tannins but also cooked, dead-fruit flavors and bright acidity on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Château Sixtine is the finest vintage of this cuvée ever made, surpassing the 2003, 2007, and 2010. Deep purple/ruby-colored, with a full-bodied, deep, powerful bouquet of blackcurrants, ground pepper, crushed violets, and spice, it’s full-bodied, has a voluptuous, powerful texture, sweet tannin, and a great, great finish, all while staying light and graceful. A blend of 50% Grenache and 25% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, it’s going to keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSappy and intense, with a terrific beam of dark plum, boysenberry and blackberry fruit. The long finish shows a gorgeous graphite underpinning while flashes of Turkish coffee, licorice snap and roasted apple wood fill in. Great energy. Best from 2020 through 2040. 2,500 cases made, 500 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis is a forward, fleshy wine full of sun-drenched blackberry and plum flavors edged by violet and lavender perfume. While rich and concentrated, it has an invigorating crush of minerals that lends freshness to the midpalate. Ripe, seamlessly integrated tannins make it immediately appealing but it should also reward cellaring through 2036. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEShimmering ruby-red. Mineral-accented raspberry and cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of garrigue and pungent flowers. Supple and impressively concentrated, offering appealingly sweet red berry, cherry liqueur and lavender pastille flavors that are sharpened by a jolt of white pepper. Finishes on an emphatic floral note, showing excellent clarity and harmonious tannins that build slowly.Vinous Media | 93 VMSixtine continues to do a solid job with its flagship bottling. The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape, a blend of 50% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre and 25% Syrah, delivers notes of apricot, cherries, leather and dried spices, ample palate presence and a lush, creamy texture. It finishes with hints of dried fruit and chocolate, so I’d opt for drinking it in its first decade while it retains some freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2017 Brut Nature Les Hautes Blanches Vignes (Magnum) is a rich, burnished wine. Deep in color and intensity from tiny yields, the Hautes Blanches is a rich Champagne endowed with notable textural breadth and energy. Orange peel, hazelnut, dried flowers, chamomile, tangerine oil and light oxidative notes build in this powerhouse Meunier. The red fruit character of Meunier is so expressive. This is an especially vinous style, even for Christophe Baron. The Hautes Blanches Vignes is just as much wine as it is Champagne. Disgorged: May 2021.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThe richest, most generous iteration of this bottling to date, Baron’s 2017 Brut Nature Les Hautes Blanches Vignes bursts with aromas of golden orchard fruit, honeycomb, fresh bread, walnuts and dried white flowers. Full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, it’s a touch more oxidative in profile than its more tightly wound predecessors, delivering a generous core of fruit, complemented by a pinpoint mousse, and concluding with a sapid finish. These characteristics make it the most immediately delicious rendition of Les Hautes Blanches Vignes to date, but they’re also likely to render it one of the less long-lived iterations of this cuvée.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2017 Champagne Les Hautes Blanches Vignes is always one of the deeper hued releases and has a hint of amber in its medium gold color. Toasted bread, brioche, honeysuckle, orange zest, and almond notes define the bouquet, and it’s beautiful on the palate, with a layered, elegant, yet rich style that carries bright acidity and a creamy, supple mousse that makes it a joy to drink. As with all these releases, the finish is clean and dry, and this is a seriously good Champagne that should evolve for a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD

As always, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache (from La Serres, La Crau, and La Guigasse) that was not destemmed and was brought up all in used demi-muids. It’s an extraordinary wine, offering a mammoth bouquet of kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, ground pepper, white flowers, and spice. Full-bodied, concentrated, and opulent on the palate, with silky tannins, it’s not going to match the 2010 or 2016, but t’s a magical, elegant, layered wine that does everything right.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis is lush and inviting in feel, with waves of warmed raspberry reduction taking center stage, while plum paste and cherry skin notes add range. Underneath the fruit, notes of anise, red and black tea and gently mulled spice notes course along, all supported by perfectly embedded acidity. A gorgeous wine that’s hard to lay off now because of the fruit, but there’s absolutely no rush. Best from 2023 through 2040. 375 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSBrilliant ruby-red. An expansive, spice-accented bouquet evokes ripe red fruits, incense and potpourri, and a smoky mineral element adds urgency. Juicy, seamless and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated raspberry, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors that firm up slowly and turn spicier on the back half. Shows serious heft, but there’s a distinctly graceful quality as well. Finishes sappy, gently tannic and extremely long, leaving a suave lavender pastille note behind.Vinous Media | 94-95 VMRich and almost painfully intense, from yields that were reduced by coulure to only about six hectoliters per hectare, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is steadfast in being all Grenache and all whole cluster. Licorice, chocolate and super ripe plums appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and velvety, with a long, warm finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPAnother string release under this label, showing rich dark fruit and earthy notes with plenty of spice. Tarry notes as well. The palate has a very plush, ripe and rich feel with juicy, ripe dark berries and plums, really bathed in deep, long and smooth-honed tannins. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS