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The wine of the vintage is the Perrin’s 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin, and it will most likely merit a perfect rating in another couple of years. Full-bodied, massive and layered on the palate, with awesome purity and freshness, it delivers incredible aromatics of beef blood, truffle, graphite, iron and black and blue fruits. Given all of the fruit and texture, you almost have to hunt for the structure here, but trust me, it’s there. The tasting at Beaucastel took place a 9 a.m., and even then, this is one wine I found impossible to spit. It’s a tour de force that will have 3-4 decades of life.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe wine of the vintage is the Perrins’ 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin, which has a classic, sexy, accessible style yet is also going to age beautifully. Massive amounts of smoked black fruits, ground pepper, iodine, truffle, and bloody meat all emerge from this inky colored behemoth. With full body, building tannins, no hard edges, and a rock star of a finish, it’s primary and youthful, but incredible. Ideally, it would be given another 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for another 3 decades or more. It’s an awesome wine!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDSpice, lift and zest - the hallmarks of the vintage are immediately apparent on the nose. Some woody, roasted spices are starting to take root now, along with damsons, and crushed damson stones. Rounded, rich and plush on the palate, all very well integrated, such delicious, intense juice. The alcohol is high but it gives the wine its foundation this year - a jolly, red-cheeked vintage built around alcohol, but not dominated by it. Delicious now, will be even better later. Drinking Window 2020 - 2036Decanter | 99 DECLots of spices such as cloves and black pepper. Some grilled meat as well. Complex undertones of mushrooms. Full-bodied, complex and refined yet very open now with cherry, sweet and ripe fruit and a balanced finish. Excellent acidity and length. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSDark purple. Powerful aromas of cherry liqueur, licorice pastille and pungent flowers, with exotic Indian spice and mocha overtones. Dense, sweet and broad, offering intense black and blue fruit preserve, violet and spicecake flavors enlivened by juicy acidity. Fine-grained tannins build slowly through the clinging, appealingly sweet finish, which shows outstanding clarity and persistence and lingering florality. One of the standouts of the vintage and surprisingly approachable for this bottling, although drinking it before its tenth birthday would seem like a shame to me.Vinous Media | 96 VMSerious, with dark fig, black currant and blackberry confiture notes forming a large-scale core, while licorice snap, Turkish coffee and pastis details lend an expansive feel. The long, dense finish has a brooding personality now, with a warm cast-iron note echoing. Should be a stunner when it reaches its peak. Best from 2019 through 2032. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

More gamy, bloody and meaty than the Sur Echalas Vineyard Syrah, the 2012 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard is a full-bodied, elegant, concentrated and structured effort that gives up complex notes of savory dark fruits, beef blood, dried herbs, pepper and olives. It’s another incredible Syrah that needs short-term cellaring, but will have two decades of evolution.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPAn aromatic tour de force, this perfumed wine offers hypnotic notes of flowers, green olive, asparagus, sea breeze, mineral, peat, smoke flowers and an earthy funk, showing layers of complexity. The palate’s lithe frame belies the richness of the smoke, fire pit and grilled meat flavors that linger.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WESupple and expressive, with plum and currant flavors and stony overtones combining with hints of black olive and white pepper, adding depth to a distinctive profile on a medium-weight frame that punches above its weight. The deft balance plays against nubby tannins. Drink now through 2025. 463 cases made. Wine Spectator | 95 WS(14.1% alcohol; as with the Echalas Vineyard, the Tribe is cultivated with draft horses): Dark ruby. Aromas of black cherry, liquefied lamb tartare, paprika and black licorice, plus a note of medicinal reserve. Hugely sweet and concentrated but carrying a good bit of unabsorbed CO2 and showing less finesse today than the Cayuse Syrah bottlings from the 2012 vintage. Inky and primary, with strong underlying minerality. This is distinctly Brune while the Echalas Syrah is more Blonde. Finishes with substantial ripe tannins and a slight bitter edge that will require cellaring.Vinous Media | 93+ VM

One of Italy’s most iconic bottlings, the 2012 Sassicaia is drop-dead gorgeous. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, it boasts sensations of blue flowers, cedar, juicy red currants, ripe raspberries, white pepper and a balsamic note. Structured, radiant and loaded with finesse, it delivers everything you’d expect from a world-class wine and more. Drink 2018–2032.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WELots of lavender, minerals and black currants on the nose. Turns to blackberries. Full body, ultra-refined tannins and an exquisite finish. This is all about delicacy, finesse and grace. Yet there is a solid core of ripe tannins giving it backbone and outstanding form. Just opening now. Very pretty.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2012 Sassicaia is dark and immediate, with gorgeous up-front richness, density and power. Black cherry jam, cloves and new leather are some of the many signatures that take shape in the glass. The 2012 is an unusually deep, concentrated Sassicaia that is going to need time in bottle to develop the full breadth of its aromas and flavors. Today, it is a bit monolithic, so readers need to be patient.Vinous Media | 94+ VMThe summer of 2012 in Bolgheri was long and hot, but the cooler evening temperature allowed Sassicaia to pull in a wine that shows plenty of ripeness while retaining vibrancy and freshness. A blend of cabernet sauvignon with 15 percent cabernet franc, it shows a quiet confidence in the way it melds flavors of black currant and red raspberry with fresh thyme, toasted nuts and the black spice it picked up from two years in French oak barrels. The texture is velvety, balanced by a streak of graphite and finely etched tannins robust enough to take on a seared steak.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 94 W&SA rich and intense style, this exhibits flavors of vanilla, toast and black cherry wrapped in stern tannins. A bit gruff overall, showing just a hint of the elegance and finesse on the lengthy finish. Needs some time. Best from 2019 through 2032. 17,000 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFrom an early-ripening vintage, the 2012 Bolgheri Sassicaia shows bold lines and thick color concentration. It does exhibit a classic Sassicaia bouquet, but it does so minus that delicate floral embroidery that comes forth with such delight in 2013. This wine shows a harder, more determined edge. It is less remarkable overall, considering the amazing heights achieved in other vintages. It also reveals thin to medium texture. This Sassicaia roars in terms of bouquet, but offers more of a whimper in terms of mouthfeel. All the elements are there, but they are delivered in a more undertone and one-dimensional manner. It will probably flesh out further with more bottle age, but that leanness is just part of the 2012 vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPStructure and shoulders are a little more obvious here, the colour deepens and widens, and the power is evident right from the first nose. A powerful tannic structure holds the fruit, you can feel the grip and it is clear that even at this age it’s barely out of the starting block. It takes a few minutes to soften and open, then the liquorice, chocolate and balsamic notes come through, balancing out and deepening the tight spiced fruits.Decanter | 92 DEC

Made by Christophe as a tribute to Cote Rotie and coming from a blend of estate vineyards, the 2012 Syrah Wallah Wallah #4 Special spent 22 months in older puncheons and neutral smaller barrels before being bottled only in Magnum, of which there’s only 2,500 to go around. Hitting 13.6% natural alcohol, its deep ruby, semi-opaque color is followed by fabulous notes of rose petals, incense, violets, leather and sweet raspberry. These flow seamlessly to a full-bodied, supple and elegant Syrah that has no hard edges, integrated acidity and thrilling purity of fruit. Showing more and more tannin with time in the glass, it needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will have an easy two decades or more of longevity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP(13.6% alcohol; a "vineyard blend" bottled entirely in magnums): Healthy deep red. Aromas reminded me of the Côte Brune: raspberry, brown spices, mocha, black tea, every color of pepper. Wonderfully juicy and aromatic in the mouth, hinting at the fleshiness to come but still imploded in the early going. Strong dusty tannins are buffered by a powerful impression of extract, with the finish leaving behind notes of pepper and bacon. Baron compared this wine to the Jamet 2001 Côte-Rôtie and I can relate to that.Vinous Media | 95+ VMA unique blend of several of the winery’s vineyards, this wine brings brooding notes of smoked ham, raw meat, lilac, fire pit and peat, with a thread of minerality that runs throughout. The flavors are full but deft, showing abundant smoked meat and savory notes along with a finish that seems near endless. The balance is perfectly spot-on.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEBright and jazzy, with a distinctively red cast to the color and a flavor profile of raspberry and rose petal. Powdery tannins and stony notes add to the complexity and harmony. Finishes with snap. Drink now through 2022. 257 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2012 Cheval Blanc boasts stunning power and a vertical, imposing sense of structure that is quite rare in this vintage. Dark and almost brooding in style, the Cheval is a rare 2012 that absolutely demands cellaring. Smoke, tobacco, incense and dark spices open up with time, but the 2012 is a reticent, tannic wine that is only showing the barest hints of its ultimate potential. This is a magnificent showing and one of the clear highlights of the year.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGA step up over the 2011, the 2012 Chateau Cheval Blanc offers a similar medium to full-bodied, elegant style yet has slightly more freshness and purity. Smoked black fruits, cassis, tobacco leaf, and sappy flower notes all emerge from this thrillingly textured, balanced, focused 2012. It opens up with time in the glass, has ripe, sweet tannins, and it’s another one of those wines that offers pleasure today yet will cruise for decades. The final blend is the usual 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc. Readers should be happy to have bottles in their cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JD(Château Cheval Blanc, St-Émilion, Bordeaux, France, Red) A beautifully balanced claret with a fragrant silky texture, fine backbone and length on the palate, promising a long life. Not a ‘big’ wine but a delicious one with class. Made in the spanking new cellar (inaugurated June 2011). (Drink between 2022-2040)Decanter | 96 DECMedium to deep garnet colored, the 2012 Cheval Blanc reveals lovely cassis, warm black cherries and redcurrant jelly notions with underlying hints of cedar chest, garrigue, Indian spices and damp soil. Medium to full-bodied, it possesses wonderful energy and freshness on the palate with a beautifully poised ethereal nature and long mineral-tinged finish. This elegantly crafted beauty should enter its drinking window in a couple of years and cellar gracefully for another 20+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThis wine is gorgeous in all facets, offering a simultaneously loamy and creamy mouthfeel, seamless layers of red and black currant, cherry, raspberry and blackberry fruit, and a long, tobacco-fueled finish that features alluring hints of black tea and incense. The fruit and terroir shine in this broad, deep and defined style. Best from 2018 through 2030. 7,083 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château Cheval Blanc) The grand vin here this year is comprised of a blend of fifty-four percent merlot and forty-six percent cabernet franc and was produced from yields of thirty-one hectoliters per hectare. It is a great Cheval Blanc in the making, soaring from the glass in a classic blend of dark berries, mulberries, cigar smoke, espresso, lovely, cabernet franc-derived herb tones, menthol and a stylish base of nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and seamless, with a youthful personality, superb focus and balance, a fair bit of tannin and outstanding length and grip on the nascently complex and very, very promising finish. There was a pretty wide variety of samples of this wine on display at the château on the damp morning in early April when the estate was playing open house to visiting journalists (I overheard Michel Bettane comment that “every single bottle is different”), and one had to hunt around a bit to find a bottle that was not totally shut down, but the samples that were open for inspection clearly indicated that this will be a great, great vintage of Cheval Blanc. (Drink between 2025-2075).John Gilman | 95+ JGWith a wonderful 45% blending of fragrant Cabernet Franc, this is a sumptuous, perfumed wine. It’s rich with a velvet texture that hides the dark tannins while bringing out the rich plum flavors. The dense texture is balanced by some fresh acidity and a fruity aftertaste. Drink this deceptively approachable wine from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA ripe and fleshy St.-Emilion with an excellent interplay of forest berry fruit, bitter chocolate and a whiff of cinnamon and allspice. Lovely, creamy richness on the mid-palate, but also a hint of warmth from alcohol. The supple tannins make for a very smooth finish, but it’s not so complex there. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.James Suckling | 93 JS

What a nose of blackberries, blackcurrants, minerals and graphite. Full-bodied and extremely fine and polished. Sexy and ethereal. Harmony. A little salty. Fabulous 2012. Pure silk. Better after 2020 but so wonderful now.James Suckling | 97 JSThis is a beautifully opulent wine, great Mouton in its richness and succulent fruits. It’s combines structure and obvious new-wood aging with hugely ripe black plum and currant flavors. While it is a pleasure to taste now, there is a great tannic structure in the background to give the sense of power and aging potential. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WETasted at the Mouton-Rothschild vertical in London, the 2012 Mouton-Rothschild clearly has the upper hand over the 2011, if not quite at the level of the 2009, 2010 and what I envisage will be the 2015. There is obviously greater fruit intensity here, as if the contrast has been dialed up a couple of notches. It is quite showy on the nose, preening in its infancy with pure black cherries, graphite and hints of cold slate-like scents, later that hint of seaweed I observed when tasted blind a few months earlier. The palate is beautifully balanced with great vim and vigor. This is a Mouton that will not be put down - vivacious, vivid and delineated with wonderful focus and crucially, impressive persistence on the finish. Do not underestimate this Mouton-Rothschild, because I can see an upswing as it matures in bottle. Tasted April 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 96 RP-NMThe 2012 Mouton Rothschild comes across as quite dark and ripe in this vintage. One of the richest, most powerful 2012s readers will come across, the Mouton boasts striking aromatics and overall density. Mocha, chocolate, graphite, smoke, licorice and dark-fleshed fruits all meld together in the glass. I imagine the 2012 will need a good decade before it starts drinking well. Slightly roasted notes and copious new oak stick out today, but these wines have a way of coming together in bottle. Antonio Galloni | 95 AGWonderful expression of ’patrician’ black fruits, the expected exotic seduction of Mouton, a perfect blend of power and elegance. Drinking Window 2017 - 2035.Decanter | 95 DECThis is starting to mellow already, featuring dark fig and blackberry notes infused liberally with black tea and smoldering tobacco accents. Shows a light loamy echo through the finish, with a flash of menthol. Offers ample flesh throughout, with a slightly grainy edge to the tannins.--Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical (March 2017). Best from 2020 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Mouton-Rothschild) The 2012 Château Mouton-Rothschild is a very good wine, being comprised of fully ninety percent cabernet sauvignon, eight percent merlot and two percent cabernet franc. It was raised in only seventy percent new oak this year- not a concession to the more elegant style of the 2012 vintage, but rather because the new chais includes new large wood fermentation tanks and these were also new oak this year. The wine is complex and classy on the nose, but just a touch overly slick for my pedestrian tastes, as it offers up a blend of cassis, dark berries, coffee bean, a dollop of licorice, dark soil tones and plenty of spicy, smoky new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and pure, with really lovely raw materials very much in evidence. The core is deep, the focus and balance here are very fine indeed and there are plenty of ripe, chewy tannins adding grip and potential longevity on the finish, and yet, for some reason, I am left with the impression that the whole this year is a bit less than the sum of its parts. This is a very well-made wine, but it seems to me to be a bit overly sculpted to ever really reach greatness. I miss the more effortless impression of a wine like the 1985 Mouton- which the 2012 vintage might have been able to reproduce flawlessly! (Drink between 2025-2075).John Gilman | 92 JG

Glorious purity of fruit here with black currants, blueberries, dark chocolate, fresh herbs and forest floor. Hints of mint too, plus hazelnut and chocolate. Full body with seamless tannins and balance. Tight and compacted tannins with beautiful fruit and great length. Goes on for minutes. One of the best Opus’ in years. Hard not to drink now but better in 2018. October 2015 release. This is 79% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc, 6% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 2% malbec.James Suckling | 97 JSA near-ideal vintage, where all parts were perfect. Here we are at full peak Opus; satin-like in texture, packed with cassis, bilberry and crushed raspberry fruits, not overly concentrated but confident enough to take on its Californian peers. A sunny juicy richness to the wine is just lovely, and a menthol mouth watering finish makes this pretty irresistable. 2% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 18 days skin contact. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040.Decanter | 97 DECThe iconic 2012 Proprietary Red Opus One is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec aged 18 months in French oak. A classy, complex, suave and savory 2012 Opus One, with notes of toasty oak and crème de cassis. This Pauillac lookalike, made by the staff at Mouton Rothschild, is a beauty. They have continued to strengthen the quality of wine and seem to have produced a brilliant, world-class wine. I imagine the 2013 may even eclipse this, but this 2012 is one of their great ones, with a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood all present in this beautiful, full-bodied wine that should drink well for 25-30 years.Robert Parker | 96 RP Rich, powerful and seductive, the 2012 Opus One blossoms in the glass with superb textural richness and volume. Dark red and black fruit, smoke, cedar, new leather and tobacco all meld together as the 2012 shows off its personality. Fine, silky tannins support the huge, creamy finish. The 2012 has just been bottled, but it is superb. I expect the 2012 will offer a long and broad drinking window of pure pleasure. Antonio Galloni | 96 AGA Pauillac-like expression from Napa Valley, this features smoky, toasty oak from the get-go, framing the intense flavors of earth, crushed rock and gravelly dried dark berry. The dense core of fruit pushes through a front of rustic graphite and loamy earth. Finishes with a long, layered aftertaste. Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. Drink now through 2028. 28,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2012 Quella (from a steep 9-acre vineyard in the eastern Vaca hillsides) has an opaque purple color, a gorgeous nose of white flowers, sweet blackberry and cassis fruit, and a touch of vanilla and graphite. Full-bodied, like its siblings, with great fruit extract, terrific purity and richness, and high but velvety tannins, this wine should also benefit from another 3-5 years of cellaring and keep for 30+ years.Robert Parker | 98 RPLots of hot stone and slate on the nose with flowers. Dark berries too. Full body, dense mouthfeel. It lasts a long time with a salty, pomace undertone. Tight and muscular. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 97 JSSoft and caressing, the 2012 Quella is quite expressive today. Dark cherry, cedar, tobacco, smoke, licorice, incense and rose petal, along with soft silky contours, give the wine its distinct personality. Bright red stone fruit and lifted floral notes convey an impression of total sensuality. The 2012 is very pretty, but like so many wines in this vintage, it is a bit one-dimensional, especially when compared to some of the true standouts in this range.Vinous Media | 94 VM

There are 5,180 six-bottle cases of the 2012 Padrone. This is a fabulous wine, meant to evolve over three decades. It offers up notes of charcoal, scorched earth, blackcurrant, blackberry, chocolate and a touch of espresso. A wine of great intensity, full-bodied opulence and a multilayered mouthfeel, this is a formidably endowed, serious Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated wine from vineyards with some of the best fruit on the estate. Drink it over the next 30 years.Robert Parker | 97 RPThe 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Padrone is dark and sumptuous from start to finish. Mocha, plums, smoke, new leather and French oak all flesh out in this brooding, intense Cabernet Sauvignon. The style is explosive and full of 2012 vintage exuberance. There is a lot to look forward to.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

A step up over the 2014, the 2012 Château Figeac is a big, opulent, authoritative Figeac loaded with ripe black fruits (blackberries, currants), smoked earth, roasted herbs, and truffle aromas and flavors. Rich, powerful, concentrated, and tannic, it’s a blockbuster that has 2+ decades of prime drinking ahead of it. The 2012s can still be found in the market and are smart buys.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD(Château Figeac) Whatever eventually happens at Château Figeac, at least we have the stunning and utterly classic 2012 to latch onto for our cellars! This is a superb example of the vintage that fully demonstrates that the vintage was every bit as fine in St. Émilion as it was in Pomerol, and those who missed in the former commune did so due to their own methodology, rather than any inherent limitations in the vintage. The 2012 Figeac is comprised of a blend of forty percent each merlot and cabernet sauvignon (those who would rip out the cabernet sauvignon here are simply out of their minds- and there are dozens of folks in Bordeaux that would immediately do so if they had control of this great estate- as this is one of the defining elements of Figeac that sets it apart and above from its neighbors!) and twenty percent cabernet franc. As has been the case since the 1970 vintage, the wine was raised in one hundred percent new wood. The bouquet is deep, complex, pure and utterly classic, jumping from the glass in a refined mix of black cherries, dark berries, Cuban cigars, a lovely base of gravelly soil tones, a touch of violet and a very well done base of new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and beautifully structured, with a rock solid core, good acidity, refined, suave tannins (predominantly from the cabernet sauvignon one would expect) and excellent length and grip on the focused and superb finish. If this is the swan song for classic Figeac, it is one hell of a wine to go out with! (Drink between 2022-2055).John Gilman | 94 JGGreat aromatics on display here and this is rich and powerful with lovely black spice complexity. The mid-palate is chock full of gourmet edges, with raspberry coulis and mellow blackberry fruits. This wine can be drunk now but will also age. It’s starting to get into its stride at this point. Harvest technically lasted from 20 September to 13 October but took place almost entirely in October to benefit from the warm and dry Indian summer that followed a more challenging start to the growing season. The estate used 100% new oak barrels. Drinking Window 2019 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECThe aromas of sweet tobacco, currants and flower undertones are beautiful. The wine is medium-to full-bodied with fine tannins and a polished and caressing finish. Delicious now. All about finesse.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2012 Figeac is super-expressive. Dense and fleshy in the glass - yet with gorgeous aromatic lift - the 2012 is impeccable in its overall balance. Dark red plum, cherry pit, cloves, leather, sage and licorice are all laced into the inviting finish. Within the context of the year, the Figeac has a fair amount of structure, so it is best cellared for at least a few years. There is a lot to like here. Michel Rolland blended the 2012 and took over the consulting at Figeac in full beginning with the 2013 harvest.Vinous Media | 93 VMA beguiling tobacco leaf note weaves up and away from the core of steeped plum and mulled currant fruit, while a sleek iron accent forms the spine and a loamy element creates the backdrop. Shows some pleasant latent grip while the currant detail echoes. Best from 2018 through 2027. 8,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis wine has weight and tannins that offer good structure, but it’s the ripe, rich fruit that dominates. It’s powerful and complex, and likely to age well.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis is a very strong effort from this great terroir. They finally seem to be making stricter selections and picking slightly riper fruit, thereby avoiding the vegetal underripe tones of the past as well as dilution from a lack of any selection. The 2012 Figeac (performing much better from bottle) has a dense ruby/purple color and a beautiful nose of graphite, blackcurrants, and spice box, followed by a medium-bodied, elegant yet still concentrated and authoritative style of wine. This is a beauty, and the great terroir that has existed for centuries comes through beautifully. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 20 years.Robert Parker | 91+ RP

I really love the 2012 Suchots from Domaine Hudelot, as the overtly red fruity character of this wine this year is very rare for this terroir and earmarks a very special vintage of the wine. The gorgeous nose offers up scents of cherries, raspberries, a touch of blood orange, Vosne spices, a beautiful base of minerality, woodsmoke and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very transparent, with a sappy core of fruit, fine-grained tannins and a very, very long, soil-driven and tangy finish. Superb juice. (Drink between 2020 - 2050)John Gilman | 93+ JGThe 2012 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Suchots comes from a 0.45-hectare holding planted back in 1920. It has a slightly muted nose out of barrel, but it unfurls revealing earthy, mossy scents with aeration. The palate is clean and fresh, but somehow foursquare and a little conservative compared to some of the domaine’s other premier crus. You get the impression that this Les Suchots is hiding something up its sleeve, whereas this vineyard is habitually one of the most expressive in its youth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RPBright medium red. Ripe, alluring aromas and flavors of wild strawberry, raspberry and earth. Sweet, fine-grained and enveloping, showing lovely energy and density and still holding its fruit in reserve. Finishes fresh and firm-edged, with full, fine-grained tannins and excellent length.Vinous Media | 91 VMA spicy and notably ripe nose features aromas of dark pinot fruit, red currant, blood orange and an abundance of spice elements that include anise and sandalwood. There is an elegant mouth feel to the luscious and generously proportioned middle weight flavors that possess a velvety texture, all wrapped in a beautifully complex finish. If there is a concern though it’s that this very firmly structured effort feels as though it may turn secondary relatively early in its evolution. As such I underscore my concern with a question mark because it will certainly require more than 8 years of bottle age to resolve the tannins yet the fruit may no longer be there.Burghound | 90 BH

The 2012 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva TB takes things to a much darker, deeper and more savory place than nearly any wine in its category. Cloves and cinnamon combine with balsamic spice, molten chocolate and medicinal blackberries as this blossoms in the glass. It floods the palate with racy, silky textures and an intense burst of ultra-ripe red and black fruits offset by a bitter twang of sour citrus and cocoa. Tantalizing acidity barely maintains balance yet ultimately succeeds. Exotic spices and dried black cherries saturate and are framed by a coating of fine tannins that promises decades of further evolution. This is a powerhouse.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis is a structured and solid Amarone, with dried fruits, sultanas, figs and iron. It’s full-bodied, yet compacted and tannic with a long and persistent finish. One for the cellar, but already impressive to drink.James Suckling | 94 JSBoth juicy and mouthwatering, this rich red shows a lot of personality, offering layered flavors of blackberry pie and raspberry ganache, hints of espresso and sweet smoke, plus fragrant juniper, eucalyptus, lavender and leather accents. Features firm, well-meshed tannins, with creamy edges that meld into the silky flavor range. Drink now through 2035. 668 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2012 Aglianico del Vulture Superiore Storico wafts up from the glass with a dusty mix of dried roses, grilled herbs, exotic brown spice, plums and hints of camphor. This is elegance to the extreme, velvety and pliant, yet with a core of mineral-tinged black fruits, savory spices and brisk acidity that adds a lovely balance. The 2012 finishes structured and grippy, yet the mouth is left watering for more, as a resonance of tart wild berries and blood orange lingers on and on. At 10 years old, this is still just a baby, and with a potential that’s off the charts. The ungrafted, 80-year-old vines that create the Storico are planted in clay and sandstone soils derived from underwater volcanic eruptions. Drinking Window 2023 - 2032Vnous Media | 96 VMMade with ungrafted 80-year-old vines, this gorgeous wine opens with an enticing bouquet of perfumed berry, fragrant blue flower, baking spice, leather and a whiff of Mediterranean brush. The concentrated enveloping palate is still young but already offers blackberry extract, raspberry jam, licorice, dried sage and tobacco. Firm fine-grained tannins offer age-worthy support and a velvety texture. Drink 2020–2032.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEReally soft and attractive texture. Delicious dark-berry, hazelnut and light chocolate character. Full-bodied, tight and well formed. Drink now or hold James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Solari (100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 70% new French oak) is even better than I thought last year. This spectacular wine boasts notes of white chocolate, hot gravel, crème de cassis, blackberries, licorice and forest floor. A subtle smoky barbecue character is noticeable in the background. This is a thrilling, full-bodied, majestic Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 25-30 years, although its tannic structure suggests cellaring it for 2-5 years will be beneficial.Robert Parker | 99 RPThe 2012 Solari is a stunning wine based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 20 months in 70% new French oak. As with most 2012s, it’s drinking brilliantly today and sports a youthful ruby/purple hue as well as a monster bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, dried earth, licorice, and Asian spices. It’s rich and powerful, with plenty of underling structure, yet it stays weightless as well as seamless on the palate, with flawless balance. This is a brilliant, heavenly Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that will continue showing well for another two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA broad, rich, expansive expression of dark berry, currant, espresso and mocha, this hits all the right notes, with touches of savory herb and tobacco leaf. Most impressive on the lingering finish, where the flavors run deep. Drink now through 2030. 1,090 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA wine with sliced mushroom, bark and spice plus berry and dark chocolate. Full body with forest flower, bramble, and light earth. Powerful and rich. A wonderful expression of cabernet sauvignon from here. Pure cab. Available in November. Give it two or three years to soften. Try in 2017.James Suckling | 95 JSGraphite, smoke, licorice, incense, game and black fruit race across the palate in the 2012 Solari. This is an especially explosive, structured wine for the vintage, with superb balance and the density to support years of exceptional drinking. Black cherries, plums, game and tobacco reappear on the huge finish. This is a rare 2012 that demands patience.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AG

The 2012 Haut Brion (65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc) is certainly one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage, with a dense purple color, classic nose of crushed rock, lead pencil shavings, black raspberry, blueberry and flowers. The wine shows subtle barbecue smoke notes in the background, but is full-bodied, stunningly concentrated and builds incrementally, yet finishes with luxurious, almost extravagant amounts of fruit and intensity. From only 46% of the production, this is an absolutely remarkable effort from the Dillon family and their winemaking team of the two Jean-Philippes. Drink it over the next 30-40 years.Robert Parker | 98 RPA big, powerful wine, the 2012 Haut-Brion possesses stunning richness and intensity, with all of the depth that is lacking in so many other wines in this vintage. Not here. The 2012 possesses remarkable depth and tons of raw, animal power that is going to require considerable time in bottle to soften. Readers should be in no rush; the 2012 Haut-Brion is a wine for the ages. Smoke, graphite, dried herbs and blue/purplish stone fruits grace the exotic, alluring finish.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGAmazing aromas of wet stones, earth, currants and berries. Subtle and complex. Full body and a beautiful core of ripe fruit on the palate and the finish. Round, light, chewy tannins. Needs at least four or five years to open. This is the most Merlot ever in Haut-Brion. Rich too. One of the wines of the vintage. 65.5% Merlot, 32.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc.James Suckling | 96 JSFirm and solid, this is one of the successes of 2012. It’s properly dark and tough at this stage, with that serious intent that’s a hallmark of Haut-Brion. Layers of firm tannins are interspersed with blackberry fruits and juicy acidity. The wine is dense and concentrated, with the wood aging still showing. This powerful wine will need many years. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis combines power and refinement, with a singed alder frame around a dense core of red and black currant, plum and blackberry fruit. Notes of bay, black tea and tar line the finish. Has a lovely, fine-grained feel that lets the dark, hefty fruit drape beautifully. The tobacco element hangs in the background. Sneakily long. Best from 2018 through 2030. 9,008 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSDense velvety red, rich earthy black fruits on the nose, both lively and smooth, terrific class is there with the ripe Haut-Brion tannins that give a subtle grip to the very polished, Merlot-dominated fruit. Drinking Window 2017 - 2035.Decanter | 95 DEC

As for the 2012 La Mission Haut Brion, this wine (41% of the total production) continues to perform as it has for nearly a century. At first-growth levels of quality, this is s stunning wine that is full-bodied and very concentrated with notes of graphite, subtle charcoal embers, crème de cassis, blackberry and underlying subtle earthiness. The wine is full and powerful, rich and concentrated. And sure enough, the alcohol level tips the scales at 15% from a blend 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc. This is a big, blockbuster La Mission Haut Brion that should age effortlessly for 30-40+ years. However, the tannins suggest that this wine should not be touched for another 5-6 years, as its one of the more backward of the 2012 Pessac-Léognans. Bravo!Robert Parker | 97 RPContinuing to show brilliantly, the 2012 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion is a quintessential Graves, boasting a deep purple color as well as heavenly aromatics of blackcurrants, tobacco, scorched earth, graphite, and licorice. It’s a big, full-bodied beauty yet has a weightless, elegant style, building tannins, and a great finish. It needs a solid hour in a decanter if drinking today and promises to evolve beautifully for another 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDOne of the clear wines of the vintage, the 2012 La Mission Haut-Brion shows off a vertical sense of structure along with imposing tannins and serious depth. The flavors are dark, bold and extremely vivid. Dark red cherry, smoke, grilled herbs, graphite and blackberry jam are some of the many notes that come alive on the finish. This brooding La Mission needs a few years to settle down after which it will offer spectacular drinking for several decades. In a word: magnificent!Antonio Galloni | 96 AG(Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, Red) Ripe roasted fruit with considerable extract and personality. Full, powerful mid-palate and length of flavour. This benefited in 2012 from the property’s early-ripening terroir. (Drink between 2022-2042)Decanter | 96 DECThis is closed up, dry and tough on the outside. But you can feel the rich weight and the dark tannins along with the powerful structure. That makes this wine both replete with a firm character and also full of generous, concentrated black fruits. It’s a powerful wine, ready for good aging; drink from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEGorgeous aromas of stones, currants and blueberries. Very aromatic. Mesmerizing. Full body, silky tannins and a long finish. Dense and rich. Layered. Earth and bark character. Lots of structure for the vintage. Better in 2019.James Suckling | 94 JSThe rigid tar and bramble frame should eventually meld with the core of plum, blackberry and macerated black currant fruit, featuring ample energy and a graphite note through the finish. Just a little bit of patience required here. Best from 2018 through 2025. 5,176 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2012 The Maiden is super-refined, polished and expressive. Crushed flowers, sweet red berries, mint, pine and cinnamon are some of the signatures. Open-knit and medium in body, the Maiden is racy and super-polished to the core. It is feminine, lifted in style and well-suited to near-term drinking.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2012 The Maiden displays soft blackcurrant liqueur notes, as well as cedar wood, forest floor, underbrush, and hints of white chocolate and espresso. It is broad, savory, sexy and opulent. Drink it over the next 12-15+ years.Robert Parker | 92 RPExhibits a dusty, dried herb savoriness amid dark berry, cedar and new leather scents, ending with fine-grained, gripping tannins and a touch of mocha. To be released spring 2016. Drink now through 2028. 1,208 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

A luscious red with dried berry, cherry and hints of cedar and tea. Full body, fine and velvety tannins and a long and flavorful finish. This is compacted and tight with great depth. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2012 Colore is on the market now. Production of 2013 and 2014 was skipped, and the next vintage we shall see (very soon) is 2015, which is also reviewed in this report. This vintage produced large berry sizes for Sangiovese—something Bibi Graetz is always happy to see because it is an indicator of elegance and finesse within the context of the house style. If you consider this wine, his observation makes perfect sense. This warm vintage is powerful and rich in its natural state, so any additional berry density might easily lead to overextraction and heaviness. However, the mouthfeel is objectively thinner and more compact in this vintage. Colore represents a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino in equal parts. The bouquet is redolent of wild berry, dried cherry and toasted spice. This vintage offers a very attractive mineral note as well. Fruit is selected from three of Bibi Graetz’s favorite vineyards with ancient vines: Lamole (in Chianti Classico), Vincigliata and Siena. Only 5,000 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPMuscular and concentrated, yet with a sense of elegance derived from vibrant acidity, this red displays black cherry, blackberry, leather, iron and tobacco flavors. Consistent from the start to the long finish. Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino. Best from 2020 through 2028. 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA tricky year with a very hot dry summer that resulted in low yields, but also marked by a wet September. The sour-cherry nose is fresh and lively. It’s medium-bodied but still quite concentrated, and while no blockbuster, it has density. It lacks some flesh and weight of fruit, resulting in a somewhat hollow mid-palate, but it’s attractive and already drinking well. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026.Decanter | 90 DEC

Lafite’s second wine is much closer to a balance of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that the first wine. It’s also a properly rich, satisfying wine that is as much fruit as structure. Packed with blackberry fruits, it has a fresh character that dominates the firmer tannins and touch of bitter chocolate. Drink from 2020.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEPerfumed and pretty aromas of blackcurrants, mineral and stones. Full body, very structured and intense. Tannic and muscular. Serious. Better in 2020.James Suckling | 92 JS(Carruades de Lafite) The 2012 Carruades de Lafite has turned out really well this year, though it was the recipient of most of the merlot that the estate harvested and decided to keep for one of their first two wines. The cépages is fifty-three percent cabernet sauvignon, forty-two percent merlot, three percent cabernet franc and two percent petit verdot. It shares with its grand vin a lovely purity and superb acidity for the vintage, as it offers up a deep and classy nose of cassis, dark berries, cigar smoke, espresso, gravel, a touch of violet and a touch of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish and very suave, with a fine core, moderate tannins, lovely complexity and a long, focused and tangy finish. This is an utterly complete young vintage of Carruades and it is really not far off the quality of the grand vin in 2012! (Drink between 2020-2045)John Gilman | 91 JGThis has a streamlined feel, offering dark cherry and steeped currant fruit flecked with tobacco and dark anise accents, carrying through a smoky finish. Shows a notably silky edge for the vintage. Drink now through 2022. 20,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2012 Le Gay is beautifully seductive, powerful and layered from start to finish. A wine of crystalline precision and nuance, the 2012 literally sparkles with striking aromatic presence and fabulous overall balance. Lavender, slate, mint and crème de cassis are some of the many notes that blossom in a silky Pomerol that has it all. I imagine the 2012 will reward readers with many years of fine drinking.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGA polished, suave style, with alluring plum sauce, melted black licorice and fruitcake notes backed by a solidly built finish of plum skin and black tea. Shows ample stuffing.Wine Spectator | 92-95 WSThe 2012 from Le Gay sports an inky purple color as well as masculine, lifted notes of plums, violets, licorice and scorched earth. A big, rich, concentrated effort, it has impeccable purity, a firm, focused, structured core, notable acidity, and superb concentration, all suggesting it needs to be forgotten for 7-8 year. It should keep for 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis is a beautiful, dense, meaty, purple-colored wine, with loads of earth, iron, blackberry and cassis fruit. It is full-bodied, rich and opulent with great length, terrific purity and surprisingly sweeter tannin than I would expect from this terroir that tends to produce a masculine style of wine. Impressive and backward, this Le Gay should drink well for at least 20 years.Robert Parker | 94+ RPAn exemplary wine, this is powerful, rich and full of ripe red fruits. The palate is dark, but brightened by acidity, red fruits and a beautiful line of freshness.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis is dense and polished with refined tannins and beautiful fruit. Full-bodied yet reserved and elegant. Very long and attractive. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 92 JS

A gorgeous wine from proprietor Denis Durantou, this blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc is an inky purple color, with gorgeous purity of black raspberries, blackcurrants and blackberry with a hint of truffle and spring flowers. Its is full-bodied, opulent and a tour de force in this vintage. Great presence on the palate, fabulous purity and a long finish make for a magnificent bottle of wine to drink over the next 20-some years.Robert Parker | 96 RPThe 2012 L'Eglise Clinet is a real head-turner. Explosive and rich in the glass, the 2012 boasts superb depth throughout. Sweet floral and spiced notes develop first, followed by intense red and blue-fleshed fruit. Violets, mint, sage and sweet spices add nuance as the 2012 opens up, but it is really the wine's vertical structure that stands out above all else. I very much like the pure energy that is so central to the wine's personality. This is a superb showing, and one of the clear highlights of the year. Readers should cellar the 2012 for at least a few years.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThis delivers a gorgeously pure and racy core of raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry fruit, melded perfectly with singed black tea leaf, dried star anise and roasted apple wood notes. Velvety and alluring overall, but there's a bright minerality buried on the finish. Best from 2016 through 2027. 1,417 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSRich, ripe and dense. Expressive red berry nose with toasted oak evident. Sweet, plush mid-palate (heightened by 14.5% alcohol although that doesn't show). Long, firm finish. A touch dry on the end. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032.Decanter | 91 DEC

(Château L'Évangile, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) A deep-coloured wine with real Pomerol ‘flesh’ and structure. This is a wine that grows in the glass, showing its class as it opens up; will probably benefit from two or three more years or early decanting. The property was replanting Cabernet Franc, so this is almost entirely Merlot. (Drink between 2025-2035)Decanter | 96 DECAn extremely polished L'Evangile with light chocolate, stone and cedar that turns to green olive with hints of sweet tobacco. Full body, tight center palate with polished and very tight grained tannins. So much energy here. Beautiful to taste but can't wait to see it in 2020.James Suckling | 95 JS(Château l’Évangile) Monsieur Vazart, Technical Director at Château l’Évangile, reported that the harvest was perfect at the estate this year, with the picking teams starting to harvest grapes on September 22nd and finishing up on October 9th, with the grapes brought in with lovely ripeness. The wine is a gorgeous example of 2012 l’Évangile, tipping the scales at a ripe, but absolutely effortless 14.4 percent alcohol (the same level as at Pétrus this year) that exudes purity and precision. It is a far more classic example than either 2009 or 2010 at this address and, without question, is one of the best wines of the vintage. The bouquet is a superb blend of black cherries, black raspberries, cigar smoke, dark chocolate, violets, soil and a deft framing of cedary new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and vibrant, with a fine core of fruit, velvety tannins and excellent length and grip on the focused and classy finish. The 2012 Château l’Évangile is an absolute classic in the making. (Drink between 2023-2050).John Gilman | 94 JGThis dark ruby/plum Pomerol offers up sweet black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, velvety tannin, medium to full body, and a nice lushness and silkiness. A beauty with great fragrance and suppleness, it’s not enormously endowed, as a great vintage would be, but it is certainly an outstanding wine and a brilliant effort from ’Evangile in 2012. Drink it over the next 15 years.Robert Parker | 94 RPA dense, dark, woodsy style, with loads of tobacco, charcoal and tar holding sway over steeped plum, black currant and Black Mission fig flavors. Shows a serious graphite bolt on the finish, along with a tug of dark earth. A rather powerful rendition of Pomerol that will need some time to stretch out fully. Best from 2018 through 2032. 3,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2012 Château l'Evangile has a little more exoticism on the nose compared to the 2012 La Fleur de Gay that preceded it: dark chocolate and camphor scents, coalescing nicely with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and acidity, sour cherries mixed with white pepper and a gentle grip with hints of leather towards the finish. I feel this has personality and Pomerol DNA, though it flirts with being overly exotic. Tasted blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Tasted blind at the 2012 Southwold tasting, the 2012 Château Margaux has a taut, linear, pencil lead-infused bouquet with pure blackberry and boysenberry scents, an undercurrent of tobacco that surfaces after five minutes in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp acidity, a life-affirming sense of balance with well-integrated new oak towards the finish. I concur with Robert Parker that his has become more structured and masculine in bottle, yet there is pedigree here from start to finish, a sense of effortlessness that is seductive. This is a top-class wine from the late Paul Pontallier and his team. Tasted January 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 96 RP-NMBy Margaux standards not a big wine, but beautifully perfumed. Finesse and length on the palate that’s unmatched by any other property in the Médoc in 2012. Making 34% grand vin of a small crop with 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, the team at Margaux read this vintage right, doing something they can do better than anyone else.Decanter | 96 DECBay leaf and menthol hints lift a core of crushed plum and warm cherry confiture notes while the background fills steadily with black tea, singed alder and iron elements. Turns a little darker on the finish, with a coating of bittersweet cocoa powder and roasted vanilla bean accents, while the minerality stays buried for now. Remarkably dense and packed, yet refined. Needs some time to unwind. Best from 2018 through 2030. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis elegant wine is very much in the classic style of Margaux. Although the wood is still showing, the wine has fresh black currant fruits along with an underlying firm, long-lived tannic structure. The aftertaste with its dryness and acidity confirms that. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEWonderful aromas of flowers such as roses, violets, strawberries and a hints of wet earth. Wet stones as well. Full to medium body, very firm tannins and a long, racy finish. Minerals and chalk on the aftertaste. Needs three to five years to soften. Better in 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2012 Château Margaux has a refined bouquet with blackberry, briary, light cedar scents and a touch of leather. Not quite as well-defined as its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, though not amazingly complex, and at this level, I would have expected more weight on the finish. This is a fine Château Margaux and yet it deprived the concentration and complexity of a top vintage and is challenged by its peers. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index’s Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VM(Château Margaux) The 2012 Château Margaux was made up of only thirty-four percent of the crop this year, with fully eighty-seven percent of the blend comprised of cabernet sauvignon, and the balance a mix of ten percent merlot, two percent cabernet franc and one percent petit verdot for good measure. The yields here were thirty-nine hectoliters per hectare and the wine tips the scales at an utterly classic thirteen percent alcohol. So why is this wine so unmoving? Paul Pontallier waxed eloquently for quite some time about how much he likes the 2012 Margaux, but I was left with the impression that this is a wine which is very much crafted in the cellar, rather than born in the vineyards, and I long for something more here these days. The cool and reserved nose offers up scents of mulberry, cassis, tobacco leaf, cigar smoke, lovely gravelly soil tones, cigar smoke and a suave base of spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and tightly-knit, with a polished attack, a fine core and a fair bit of chewy tannin perking up the long and beautifully focused finish. All of the constituent components here tell my brain I should like this wine a lot more than I do, but it just seems to be missing that spark and the whole does not seem greater than the sum of its parts in 2012. This is a very well-made wine that is just a bit overly slick for me. (Drink between 2023-2055).John Gilman | 91+ JG

Intense black currant fruitiness makes this wine unabashedly forward. The palate bears weighty tannins behind that fruit, resulting in a wine that is already quite balanced and structured.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE(Château Pichon-Lalande (barrel sample)) Château Pichon-Lalande is fortunate to have Nicolas Glumineau now at the head of the day to day operations of the estate, as he has moved over from Château Montrose after the 2011 vintage and has clearly hit the ground running in his first full year at this fabled Pauillac Second Growth! The 2012 Château Pichon-Lalande is clearly one of the three finest wines produced on the Left Bank in this vintage and an utterly classic and refined bottle of young claret. The wine this year is a blend of fifty-nine percent cabernet sauvignon, twenty-eight percent merlot, eight percent cabernet franc and five percent petit verdot. The deep, pure and very traditionally-styled nose delivers a superb aromatic constellation of cassis, cark berries, coffee, tobacco leaf, cigar ash, gravel and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and utterly suave and seamless, with a rock solid core, great focus and grip and a long, classy and ripely tannic finish. Think of a wine cut along the lines of the beautiful 1983 Pichon-Lalande, only deeper and even more refined! This is a glorious success and a clear indication that a combination of strict selection and an intuitive sense of the style of the 2012 vintage could produce magic! Do not miss this wine if you love classic claret. (Drink between 2025-2065).John Gilman | 94 JGAs it always is, the 2012 Pichon Lalande is a wine of pure and total seduction. The 2012 is neither the biggest nor most complex Pichon Lalande, but it is among the most pleasurable wine in this tasting, especially for near and medium-term drinking. Silky and medium in body, with lovely brightness, the 2012 has so much to offer.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGWonderful nose of wet earth, mushrooms and berries. Full to medium body, fine tannins and a fresh finish. Sleek and polished. Needs two to three years of bottle age to soften. 59% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot.James Suckling | 92 JSSlightly meaty and slighty spicy ripe fruit, with Merlot to the fore, good middle sweetness and a succulence that will impress over time. Drinking Window 2016 - 2032.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2012 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is a beautiful, elegant wine in this slightly more challenging vintage (at least for the northern Médoc) and is well worth cellaring and drinking. A blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, it has classic Pauillac lead pencil notes as well as plenty of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, and cedar. Medium-bodied, forward, and seamless on the palate, it shows the classic elegance of this estate, has ripe tannins, and is already impossible to resist. Enjoy this solid 2012 Pauillac over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA gutsy, terroir-driven style, with briar-edged grip carrying notes of macerated black currant fruit, fig and plum sauce. This shows lots of dark anise through the finish, along with notes of roasted apple wood and a hint of cassis bush. Delivers excellent range, purity and energy. Best from 2018 through 2027. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe grande dame, the 2012 Pichon Lalande represents only 50% of their harvest production. It has soft, round tannins, endearing elegance, and up-front fruit. It is not a blockbuster, but its lush, richly fruity style is charming and seductive, with raspberry, blueberry, mocha and blackcurrant fruit and a deep ruby/purple color. This medium-bodied, supple-textured wine is surprisingly precocious and forward, and therefore best drunk over the next 15 years. The final blend was 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.Robert Parker | 90 RP

Tasted from several bottles in recent months, the 2012 Canon is a stupendous wine for the vintage and if anything, it appears to be improving with each encounter. It clearly serves up more than enough volume and fruit intensity on the nose compared to the impressive 2011 Canon: it is very pure with black cherries, wild strawberry, asphalt and blood orange. This is very well defined and beautifully focused. The palate is medium-bodied, silky smooth and with that thrilling sense of frisson. There is so much vivacity wound up inside this Saint Emilion that it would not surprise me if it turns out to be one of the very best in 2012. Tasted January 2017.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMThe 2012 Canon is a rich, smoky, meaty 2012 that checks in as blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Ripe black cherries, melted licorice, chocolate, and a touch of scorched earth all emerge from this classic, structured effort that has terrific concentration, a pure, backward style, ripe tannin, and a great finish. It’s nowhere near ready for primetime (this wine didn’t start to open up until the second day after opening) and needs a solid 5-7 years of cellaring but will see its 30th birthday in fine form.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDA red with blueberry, blackberry and walnut character. Chocolate too. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a fresh finish. This is tight and dense. Extremely polished tannins and a long finish. Another 2001. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 93 JS(Château Canon) Château Canon is one of the top wines yet again in St. Émilion in the 2012 vintage, despite the percentage of the blend undergoing malo in barrel creeping up to thirty percent in this vintage (it was about twenty-five percent in 2010- though I am not sure when this practice started here). The cépages this year is seventy percent merlot and thirty percent cabernet franc, the alcohol content is fourteen percent, and the wine was raised in eighty percent new wood. The harvest started here on October 3rd for the merlot, and was completed by October 16th for the last of the cabernet franc. The superb nose offers up a ripe and very pure blend of blackberries, black cherries, menthol, Cuban tobacco, a great base of soil, espresso and a stylish base of nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with ripe tannins, excellent focus and balance and a long, nascently complex and very, very classy finish. A beautiful Canon in the making. (Drink between 2025-2070).John Gilman | 93+ JGThis dense, extracted wine has dark coffee and bitter chocolate flavors that are followed by wood and tannins. The fruit is still obscured, and may need many years for its dark character to emerge.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEGood bright red-ruby. Coffee and chocolate scents of new oak complement deep strawberry and dark cherry aromas on the brooding nose. On the palate, sweet cassis, black plum and mineral flavors are lifted by an element of peppery herbs. Finishes youthfully dry, with building tannins and suggestions of herbs, pepper and mint. Lovely balance and precision here: Canon has really turned the corner in the last several years.Vinous Media | 89-92 VMDisplays a rather firm coating of chalk dust and vanilla notes, with a core of subdued plum and blackberry fruit. Verges on an extracted feel, but comes out solid and sculpted in the end.Wine Spectator | 88-91 WSBeautifully poised wine. Fresh, elegant and perfumed on the nose. Juicy and fine on the palate. Delicate extraction. Fine, long tannins. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030.Decanter | 91 DEC