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What fun, excitement and joy it will be to compare the four perfect wines Perse has made in 2005, 2009, 2010 and, of course, the 2000, in 25 or so years. This wine is truly profound Bordeaux. Everything is in place – remarkable concentration and a beautiful nose of cedar and ripe blackcurrant and blackberry with some kirsch and spice box in the background. Lavishly rich, with slightly more structure and delineation than the more Rabelaisian 2009, this wine does show some serious tannins in the finish, and comes across as incredibly youthful. Of course, it’s five years old, but it tastes more like a just-bottled barrel sample than a 2010. In any event, this wine is set for a long, long life and should be forgotten for at least another decade. Consume it over the following 75 or more years.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 2010 Château Pavie is straight-up magical, and while it matches the 2000, 2005, 2009, and 2015, it has a style all its own. (It’s probably most similar to the 2005, yet even more tannic and backward.) Checking in as blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon from tiny yields of 26 hectoliters per hectare, it’s still ruby/plum-colored and has a powerful, inward bouquet of blackcurrants, smoked earth, graphite, chocolate, and white truffle. Deep, powerful, and massive on the palate, yet also incredibly delineated and focused, it’s shed just a touch of the baby fat it had in its youth and still needs another 4-5 years to hit prime time. Given its depth of fruit, flawless balance, and both purity and freshness, it’s going to be a 75- to 100-year wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is really exceptional with such freshness, firmness and focus. Full body, incredibly tight tannins and a lengthy finish. Such power and elegance at the same time. The beginning of a new era of Pavie.James Suckling | 99 JSA brick house, still rather tight, with loads of apple wood and juniper flavors holding the core of red currant, blackberry and bitter plum fruit in check. Offers ample grip through the finish, with a mouthwatering chalk, graphite and tobacco spine. A huge wine that hasn’t budged and probably won’t for some time.--Non-blind Pavie vertical (March 2017). Best from 2025 through 2050. 7,083 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThis is accomplished and enjoyable, starting to come into its own at ten years old, and very much infused with the limestone impact of its soils. One of my favourite Pavies that scrapes along the palate in that way that just weakens my knees. A style of vintage that suits this property, where the acidity provides a natural break but doesn’t detract from the fruit and concentration. It is exerting its power gently and imperceptibly, turning the screw until the tannins are barring your way at the close of play. Brilliant stuff. Drinking Window 2020 - 2042Decanter | 98 DECThe 2010 Pavie has a very generous bouquet with intense red cherries, cassis, orange essence and even a hint of dried honey. This is exuberant and very intense. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannins, wonderful detail and precision. The energy in this Pomerol is palpable and it fans out gloriously towards the finish. This represents one of the best examples of the 2010 Pavie that I have tasted. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis feels very juicy, the fruit almost over-ripe. There is a generous new world feel to it, very opulent, super-rich. Open black plum and damson fruits push through the dark, perfumed tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

An eternal wine, the 2010 Pichon Lalande is a total showstopper. The first impression is one of explosive power, but time in the glass brings out the wine’s more delicate, floral side. Violet, graphite, crème de cassis, licorice and menthol overtones recall the 1996, but the tannins here are much softer, sweeter and more polished. In two recent tastings, the 2010 has been positively stellar. The alternation of hot days and cool nights led to a late harvest. The Cabernet Sauvignon harvest did not start until October 7; by that date in 2009 all the fruit was in. Readers who can still find the 2010 should not hesitate, as it is a modern-day classic. That’s all there is to it.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AGBrilliant – double decant and wait an hour so the wine can better express its sensual aromas of faded rose, cassis, homemade strawberry jam, graphite and iodine freshness. The palate is enveloped in cashmere-like refinement, leading to a long finish with sea air and floral freshness. Best to hang on another five years for a proper drinking window, but if you insist, try it now with filet mignon. Drinking Window 2021 - 2055.Decanter | 98 DECWith signs of new wood on the palate, this is a wine that maintains the polished feel of the wines from Pichon Lalande. It has a stronger presence of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend than in the past, making it more structured than its predecessors, with a dominance of black currant flavor. It shows the soft side of the vintage, but is also meant for aging.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2010 Pichon Lalande is performing extremely well and at the top of the range I predicted several years ago. A final blend dominated much more by Cabernet Sauvignon than usual (66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot), the wine is a tighter, more tannic and structured version of this famed Pauillac, which often tends to have more of a St-Julien-like personality than most Pauillacs. Structured, backward and tannic, yet showing a fat mid-palate that is more savory, broader and more expansive than I remember from barrel, this wine is somewhat reminiscent of the 1986, given the Cabernet Sauvignon domination of the blend. Full-bodied, impressively endowed, and less sexy and velvety than normal, this is a somewhat different style of Pichon Lalande than most readers have been used to. Whether you like it more or less will depend on your point of view, but this wine, unlike most Pichon Lalandes, needs a good 5-7 years of cellaring and should keep for 30+ years.Robert Parker | 95+ RPRock-solid, with a classic Pauillac profile of cassis, iron and graphite. Layers of blueberry, blackberry and boysenberry fruit cover the grip for now, but there’s serious muscle for the longer haul, revealing a lingering pastis hint.--Non-blind Pichon Lalande vertical (July 2014). Best from 2020 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2010 is based on 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot that was raised in (I’m assuming) a good bit of new oak, although you wouldn’t know this by tasting it. Revealing a still youthful ruby/plum hue with just a touch of lightening at the edge, it has a Saint-Julien-like perfume of darker currants, tobacco, earth, sous bois, and flowers, without that classic cedar and lead pencil character of most Pauillacs. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a wonderfully focused, seamless texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It’s still relatively closed and reticent, so give bottles another 4-5 years if possible.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDThis is a pretty and refined Pichon Lalande. Aromas of blueberries and blackberries with hints of earth and mushrooms. Full body, with velvety tannins and a juicy finish. I slightly prefer the 2009. Better in 2017.James Suckling | 94 JS(Château Pichon-Lalande) The 2010 Pichon-Lalande is another unequivocal success for the vintage. The classy bouquet is deep, ripe and impressively pure, with a classically reserved blend of cassis, dark berries, espresso, tobacco leaf, gravel and discreet new oak wafting from the glass. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite suave on the attack, with a fine core of fruit, ripe, well-integrated tannins, good acidity and impressive focus on the long, youthful and beautifully balanced finish. A very, very fine young Pichon-Lalande the strongly recalls the young 1986 at this estate. (Drink between 2020-2070).John Gilman | 94 JG

An absolutely amazing wine, from grapes harvested between the end of September and October 17, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot has close to 15% natural alcohol. It comes from one of the few biodynamic vineyards in Bordeaux, but you are likely to see many more, given the success that Tesseron seems to be having at all levels, both in his vineyards and in his fermentation/winemaking. An astounding, compelling wine with the classic Pauillac nose more often associated with its cross-street neighbor, Mouton-Rothschild, creme de cassis, there are also some violets and other assorted floral notes. The wine has off-the-charts massiveness and intensity but never comes across as heavy, overbearing or astringent. The freshness, laser-like precision, and full-bodied, massive richness and extract are simply remarkable to behold and experience. It is very easy, to become jaded tasting such great wines from a great vintage, but it is really a privilege to taste something as amazing as this. Unfortunately, it needs a good decade of cellaring, and that’s assuming it doesn’t close down over the next few years. This is a 50- to 75-year wine from one of the half-dozen or so most compulsive and obsessive proprietors in all of Bordeaux. Is there anything that proprietor Alfred Tesseron is not doing right? Talk about an estate that is on top of its game! Pontet-Canet’s 2010 is a more structured, tannic and restrained version of their most recent perfect wine, the 2009. Kudos to Pontet-Canet!Robert Parker | 100 RPThe aromas to this are incredible with blueberry, minerals, dried flowers, and stones. It goes to dried meat and spices. Full body and incredibly integrated with blackberry, licorice, and minerals. There’s a wonderful purity to this. It goes on for minutes. The quality of tannins is amazing. Seamless. There’s an amazing transparency that shows you all the elements of the wine’s unique terrior. Try after 2018.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2010 Pontet-Canet lags behind the 2009, but these two vintages can be hard to compare due the drastically different styles. Where the 2009 is broad, expansive, and showy, the 2010 starts our more reserved and classic in style, with beautiful notes of cassis, cedarwood, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and damp earth all developing with air. Deep, beautifully concentrated, full-bodied, and powerful, it’s built for the long haul and needs 5-7 years of bottle age, but I suspect will see its 50th birthday in still fine drinking form.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDDense, yes, but this is also a handsome wine that balances complex tannins with pure black currant fruits that shine. This biodynamic wine has a generous, full and rich feel, ripe with just a touch of restraint. The greatness of the wine shows in its purity with a deceptive simplicity that hides the final complex tannins and structure.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis is big, broad and powerfully rendered, but remarkably polished and refined at the same time. An enormous core of roasted fig, blackberry and black currant fruit is suavely wrapped with roasted apple wood and sandalwood, while dark espresso, loam and warm paving stone notes drive the finish. Very long, with a great tug of scorched earth at the end. A terrific combination of power and precision. Best from 2020 through 2040. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS(Château Pontet-Canet, Merlot, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Class in glass. Deep ruby, youthful tone. Such sumptuous red berry, cassis and tobacco aromas. Juicy and full bodied, with smoothly textured tannins. The creamy mid palate texture is framed by an impressive arc of tension and balancing acidity, ensuring long life. Long finish. Super! Aged 50% new oak. (Drink between 2021-2060)Decanter | 97 DECThe 2010 Pontet-Canet is noticeably deep in colour compared to its peers. This is unusually ripe and sweet on the nose, more red than black fruit, maybe a little jammy and confit-like. I would never guess this was a 2010 Left Bank. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy mouthfeel, plenty of graphite tinged red fruit. Approachable in style and sensually fulfilling, it just lacks a bit of grip and backbone on the finish. I have fonder memories of previous bottles but I could not identify any specific fault. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Showing more finesse and elegance than the Pignan, yet still with plenty of density and concentration, the 2010 Châteauneuf Du Pape Reserve is a sensational effort from this estate that has a kaleidoscope-like array of framboise, darker cherries, sappy flowers, garrigue, and spice. Opening up beautifully with time in the glass as well, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, silky tannins, and a great finish. Reminding me slightly of the 1990, it is heavenly today and will be heavenly in another 15+ years as well.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDVivid ruby. An explosively perfumed bouquet displays red and dark berry preserves, potpourri, licorice and smoky minerals. Broad and fleshy, offering deeply concentrated black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors and a strong note of floral pastilles. Chewy tannins give grip to a powerful, alluringly sweet, endless finish. Shows as much density as I can recall from a young Rayas and is clearly built for the long haul.Vinous Media | 96+ VMThe three component parts of the 2010 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape show it to be a deeply colored vintage with terrific fruit intensity of licorice, raspberries and sweet, jammy cherries. Medium to full-bodied and ripe with 15+% natural alcohol and sweet, soft tannins, this ethereal 2010 is reminiscent of the 2005 although the tannins in the 2010 are more silky.(Not yet released)One of the world’s most mysterious estates is Chateau Rayas. This small 30-acre estate is owned by the Reynaud family, which dates back to the late 19th century,. The estate has always had an image of secrecy and seclusion. Following the death of Jacques Reynaud in 1997, his nephew, Emmanuel took over, and he continues to produce wines that go from strength to strength. A cool climate property in a hot zone, Rayas is tucked away in a forest with its vineyards basically one parcel of sandy soil. Emmanuel Reynaud, who is also the proprietor of the outstanding Vacqueyras estate called Domaine des Tours, has the same eccentric idiosyncracies as his uncle. It is not as difficult to get an appointment to visit Rayas as many people think, and I highly recommend it as it is always a fascinating place to visit. After 25 years, I never cease to be amazed by what emerges from these decrepit, old, haphazard cellars that look like a biohazard room in a video game. They don’t win the top prize for the dirtiest cellars in Chateauneuf du Pape (that goes to Henri Bonneau), but Rayas is a close second. Modern-day oenology graduates would be horrified by -working conditions,- but the magic elixirs to emerge from these ancient barrels, demi-muids and foudres are wondrous. On this trip, I tasted through the component parts of the 2010s, another top vintage for Rayas. Production was tiny, and the harvest was extremely late. In fact, Emmanuel Reynaud told me that 2011 would be at least ten days in advance of 2010. The 2009s, which have all been bottled, have turned out to be spectacular, and I tend to think the 2009 Rayas could turn out to be the greatest wine made by Emmanuel, even eclipsing the 2007.Robert Parker | 94-97 RP

A remarkable wine, the 2010 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select has gone from strength to strength since it was in cask. It is stunningly rich, with classic, fragrant notes of blackcurrants, blackberries, vanilla, graphite and spring flowers. It exhibits an opaque purple color, with a full-bodied, massive mouthfeel, but no heaviness, and again, a flawless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood. It’s classic California Cabernet, but beautifully put together, showing impeccable craftsmanship and fabulous potential. This is obviously a very young, infantile style of Cabernet that won’t hit its prime for at least another decade and last close to half a century, based on how older vintages that were less well-endowed have matured from Shafer.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe Shafer family has made compelling reds for decades and this one is a knock-out. Fabulous character of currants, mint, spice and wet earth. Juicy and fruity, with an intense chewy finish. Needs time to age.James Suckling | 98 JSBright, dark ruby to the rim. Very pure if subdued aromas of blackcurrant, black cherry, dark chocolate and minerals; conveys a strong Stags Leap terroir character. Enters the mouth voluptuous, broad and seamless but still youthful, showing a faintly inky reserve to its powerful dark fruit, licorice and mineral flavors. This Napa Valley masterpiece is developing at a snail’s pace. The finish goes on and on, with substantial fine-grained, toothcoating tannins in perfect balance with the wine’s fruit. Wonderfully sweet and voluminous but not excessively so, as there’s so much else going on here. This wine was only a tad more developed than a spectacular sample I tasted as part of a vertical tasting I did at the estate in 2016. A great vintage for Shafer.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe producer’s annual, highly anticipated 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this comes from the wilds of the appellation’s rocky hillsides. This is a burly, distinctive and sizable wine, ripe yet refined, having been given three years in barrel and another in bottle before release. Chocolaty tobacco combines with pencil shavings and dense blackberry before finishing in an explosion of black pepper. Gorgeous, it will get even more interesting over time, through 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEPure, rich and intense, massive and well-built, with wall-to-wall ripe berry, currant, cedar and spice notes, framed by gutsy, chewy tannins and aided by the long, intense, layered finish. Drink now through 2027. 2,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

A wine with superb finesse and depth. So subtle and understated yet powerful and long. The tannin intensity is amazing. It just builds like a massive wave. Superb. Give this time in the bottle. The length is endless. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 100 JSSumptuous, offering ripe aromas of plum, cherry, spice, earth, iron and tobacco. Velvety in texture and elegant, this nonetheless has an ironclad structure underneath. Firm and long, fresh, echoing tobacco and mineral. Seductive, yet reserved too.—Non-blind Valdicava Brunello vertical (July 2017). Best from 2023 through 2043. 3,900 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSHere is a big wine with lofty ambitions and an impactful presentation. The Valdicava 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano hits all the right buttons. The wine shows a profound sense of elegance and poise with subtle berry notes that blend into spice, licorice and tar. Those bright and lively aromatic components fold gracefully within the wine's tight texture, its sheer power and the silky nature of the tannins. This wine promises a long and steady aging future ahead.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is a classic Valdicava wine built on power, intensity and depth. Black cherry, smoke, licorice, dark spices and menthol make a strong first impression, followed by huge waves of tannin and acidity that will require at least a few years to settle down. In a part of Montalcino that is known for finesse, the Madonna del Piano is decidedly powerful, concentrated and extracted. Readers will want to give the 2010 a good bit of air, as the Madonna del Piano needs quite a bit of time to open up.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The perfect 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot aged 20 months in 100% new French oak. I think this is the third perfect score I’ve given to this wine, which is the essence of their vineyard, representing about 13% of the total production, or a mere 320 cases. The wine has a gorgeously opaque purple color and a beautiful nose of camphor, charcoal, blackberry and cr?me de cassis with licorice and truffle. It has unbelievable richness, great texture, tremendous finesse, precision and delineation. Very intense, full-bodied and super-pure, the length of the wine must be at least 50+ seconds. This is a gorgeous wine and one of the great superstars of this fabulous vintage. Drink it over the next 25-30 years.Robert Parker | 100 RPSaturated dark red with ruby highlights. Wonderfully complex perfume combines black raspberry, blueberry, subtle torrefaction notes and a hint of black olive. Boasts outstanding thickness of texture without any heaviness, with its dark fruit and mineral flavors complicated by subtle spices. Perhaps most impressive today on the back end, which features an explosive, sappy flavor of tart cherry stomp and spreads out horizontally to saturate the palate. Of course there are tannins here, but that word did not appear in my original tasting note as they are totally buffered by the wine's extract-rich fruit. (14.1% alcohol; 100% new French oak).Vinous Media | 98 VMViolet, lavender, rosemary, and stone undertones. Full body, super polished and beautiful fruit. Very long and linear. Volcanic salt. Wonderful length and balance. Goes on for minutes. Better in 2020.James Suckling | 97 JSPure and focused on earth- and herb-laced sweet currant and tarry notes, this flexes some tannic muscle and features a strong, persistent, complex and layered finish. Very Bordeaux-like in structure and flavor profile. Drink now through 2029. 250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Abreu is now calling his vineyard on Howell Mountain (a tract of 33 acres with 15 planted) Las Posadas, after the road high on the mountain that seems to be the Fifth Avenue of Howell Mountain vineyard sites. The 2013 Las Posadas Proprietary Red was unreal from barrel, and that extraordinary Midas touch exhibited by Grimes and Abreu has extended to this wine out of bottle, which is a showcase for Howell Mountain and the meticulous viticulture and winemaking of Abreu and Grimes. Inky purple to the rim, with an extraordinary nose of sweet mulberry, intense graphite, scorched earth, smoldering wood charcoal, and massive blackberry and cassis fruit, this intriguing and provocative wine also throws in hints of licorice and black truffle. It is extremely rich, full-bodied, and nearly an out-of-body experience. Look for it to improve in age for 40 to 50 years. I can see consumers opening it circa 2065 to 2075 and saying, “Wow – what a great vintage this must have been!”Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 2013 Las Posadas is superb. Graphite, smoke, lavender, exotic spices and inky crème de cassis fruit power a deeply expressive Howell Mountain wine. Beautifully structured and towering on the palate, the 2013 is showing beautifully today. This is a striking Howell Mountain wine. It is also the most giving and expressive of the Abreu 2013s today, which is surprising given its Howell Mountain origins. This is a superb wine.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis blend of five Bordeaux varieties is the most striking and nuanced of Howell Mountain’s super-expensive cult wines. Powerful and structured, impeccable balance. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040Decanter | 96 DEC

Probably one of my favorite vineyards in all of Napa Valley, even though it is not entitled to any particular AVA designation, is the steep hillside vineyard behind the luxury resort of Meadowood in St. Helena called Thorevilos. It is co-owned by David Abreu and Ric Forman. I have now tasted 16 vintages of this wine, and six and possibly seven (the 2015) have merited perfect scores, which is just mind-boggling even to someone who has been doing this for 38+ years. This wine contains a considerable quantity of Cabernet Franc (probably 30% or more, although Abreu and Grimes are never specific) and there may even be a small percentage of Petit Verdot included in the blend. This is always the most floral of the Abreu wines, but it also has what the French call je ne sais quoi, a quality that is hard to pin down. The 2013 defines what Thorevilos is all about, with copious quantities of blueberries, black raspberries, truffles, violets, crushed rock, forest floor notes and oodles of glycerin in its full-bodied, incredibly pure and amazing texture and length. It is a spectacular wine, with the cascade of fruit hiding what must be some considerable tannic clout. It’s not showing through just yet, but I suspect it will come as the wine closes down in bottle once it gets into a cold cellar. This is simply other-worldly and a tribute to all things Napa, California, and in a way, America. Drink it over the next 50+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2013 Thorevilos is a real stunner. Deep, powerful and explosive, the 2013 possesses magnificent structure to match its vivid fruit. Deep and enveloping, the 2013 Thorevilos is an attention-grabbing wine. Crème de cassis, lavender, sage, violet, menthol, graphite, smoke and black cherry gradually flesh out in the glass, but the tannins are going to need much more time than that. Remarkably nuanced for such a big wine, the 2013 is spectacular from the very first taste. The 2013 has always been thrilling. It is all that and more today.Vinous Media | 100 VM

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill Vineyard is a rival for the 2012. Opaque purple, with blueberry and blackberry fruit, a hint of incense and subtle toast, the wine has great intensity, incredible richness and, again, a floral blue- and black-fruited nose and flavor profile that is remarkable. The finish goes on for close to a minute. This is slightly more tightly knit than the more ostentatious 2012, but both are wines to taste and drink before you die!Robert Parker | 100 RPFabulous aromas of dark fruits such as blackberry and bramble berry plus coffee and smoked meat. Full-bodied, very tight and reserved. Superfine and polished tannins. Sweet and subtle fruit flavors. Precise and focused. So silky. Savory. A wine that gives wonderful pleasure and intrigue. Drink or hold. 320 cases.James Suckling | 97 JSA deep, dense, powerful wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill exudes pure richness. The flavors are dark and boldly sketched throughout, with gorgeous savory and mineral notes that add shades of nuance to the dark, inky fruit. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2013 is remarkably balanced for such a young wine. The 2013 should drink well with just a few more years in bottle. As always, the Tychson Hill is the most open and forthcoming of the Colgin wines.Vinous Media | 96 VMComplex, with a range of flavor extending from espresso to mocha to smoky, toasty oak, adding depth and dimension to the firm core of chocolate-laced blackberry and wild berry. Ends with firm, ripe tannins and excellent length. Best from 2020 through 2033. 425 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A captivating bouquet of violets, lilac, black fruit, blood orange and meaty soil tones is striking for its extravagent range and amplitude; and on the palate, the wine is three-dimensional, sophisticatedly savoury, and massive but refined. Tod Mostero remarks that, having crafted the 2013 Dominus, he can die happy as a winemaker. Selection here was especially rigorous, as the team wanted to realise the vintage's unparalleled potential as fully as possible, so only 3,500 cases were produced. A special label commemorates the 30th anniversary of Dominus Estate. Drinking Window 2023 - 2065.Decanter | 100 DECThe aromas to this are multidimensional and fascinating with black truffles, bark, cloves, black currants, citrus, and even ginseng. Full-bodied, yet reserved and austere with chewy and powerful tannins that remain polished and refined. The flavors are more umami and savory. Then there are forest fruits and blood-orange undertones. The wine goes on for minutes. A wine to age for a lifetime. It's an experience to taste this. A new classic showing its history and tradition as a source of the greatest wines ever from Napa. A wine to enjoy forever.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2013 Dominus is, to my way of thinking, one of the most profound wines Christian Moueix has yet made in his rather brilliant winemaking history, both in France and in Napa Valley. This wine, with very low yields of only 3,500 cases and a final blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc, offers up notes of cedar wood, forest floor, loamy soil and oodles of blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. Very opaque purple in color, super-pure and intense, this wine has low acidity, but ripe, noticeable tannins. This is a 30- to 40-year wine and a profound effort from this famous vineyard in Yountville. Drink it over the next 40+ years.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 2013 Dominus overwhelms all the senses with its magnificent overall balance and towering intensity. Deep and nearly impenetrable in the glass, the 2013 boasts off the charts dry extract and overall power. Violets, smoke, black cherries, menthol, incense, crème de cassis and dark spices are some of the many signatures that take shape in the glass. Even better in bottle than it was in barrel, the 2013 is utterly magnificent. This is a remarkably vivid, nuanced wine considering its sheer size.Vinous Media | 100 VMNo written review provided | 93 W&SDense and earthy, with a submerged core of rich blackberry, currant, anise and sage flavors. The dusty, loamy earth character lends balance and definition. Ends with cedary tannins and good length. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2032. 3,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Francis Egly has produced another profound Champagne with the 2013 Brut Grand Cru Millésime. If the monumental 2008 stands out for its power, structure and intensity, the 2013 is distinguished by its harmony, finesse and completeness; both vintages are very great wines but thus quite different in style. Wafting from the glass with scents of Anjou pear, crisp yellow apple, freshly baked bread, clear honey, iodine and fresh mint, it’s full-bodied, ample and pillowy, with a layered, concentrated and effortlessly balanced core of fruit, uniting precision and sensuality to compelling effect. Girdled by racy acids and animated by a delicate pinpoint mousse, it concludes with a long, penetrating finish. Is this the most elegant wine Egly has produced to date? It’s certainly among the most compelling that this high quality but initially underrated Champagne vintage has delivered.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2013 Millésime Grand Cru is flat-out stunning, in fact it’s one of the best vintage Champagnes I have ever tasted. What I admire most about the 2013 is the marriage of power and transparency. Plum, kirsch, ginger, spice and dried flowers all come alive in a striking, vivid Champagne that delivers so much pleasure. It’s a riveting, captivating Champagne from Egly-Ouriet. What a knock-out! Dosage is 2 grams per liter. Disgorged: July, 2022.Antonio Galloni | 98 AG

A candidate for wine-of-the-vintage honors in Champagne, Roederer’s 2013 Cristal Rosé is showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers, red berries, stone fruit, freshly baked bread and tangerine oil. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, the vintage’s bright girdling acids are amply cloaked in exuberant, expressive and notably concentrated fruit; so while this Cristal is as tensile and age-worthy as one would expect, it’s also impressively fleshy and generous given the year. Concluding with an intensely sapid finish, the 2013 isn’t as overtly structured as the muscular, tightly wound 2012: rather, it’s the 2013’s alliance of cut and flesh, precision and charm that’s so compelling this year. This is another banner vintage for what I consider the reigning champion of the region’s tête de cuvée bottlings, and it will be worth an effort to acquire.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe 2013 Cristal Rosé is searingly intense right out of the glass, just like the Blanc, except it has a bit more fleshiness because of the skin contact on the Pinot. Cristal Rosé has one of the best track records for aging in Champagne. I suspect the 2013 will join the ranks of the epic vintages, but it is painfully tight today. The blend is 55% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ) and 45% Chardonnay (from Avize and Mesnil) done in the classic Roederer infusion style in which Pinot Noir is vinified on the skins and then blended with Chardonnay to complete the fermentation. About 25% of the lots were done in oak, while malolactic fermentation was blocked.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGIf you’re a Champagne lover and this doesn’t do it for you, I don’t know what will. A magical Champagne that’s just about as good as it gets, the 2013 Cristal Rosé reveal a lighter salmon hue to go with a rich yet also subtle nose of orange blossom, white flowers, toasted brioche, and chalky minerality. It takes some coaxing but is incredibly complex aromatically and offers more spice, dried strawberry, and library book-like nuances as it sets in the glass. Richly textured on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and has surprising opulence as well as a great mid-palate, all of which are balanced by a vibrant spine of acidity. It starts out seemingly soft and easygoing yet changes with air, and it possesses an incredible mix of suppleness, texture, and precision that is something to behold. It can be drunk today or cellared for 20 or 30 years, possibly even longer.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDAromas of strawberry, iron, orange peel and brioche follow through to a full body with gorgeous fruit and sweet tannins that layer the wine. Strawberry-patisserie undertones. Rather juicy and chewy with very round, fine tannins. Savory, flavorful and lightly spicy. Caressing finish with lots of fruity flavor and dryness. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSLike an orchestra that melds the voices of many components into one compelling song, this bright rosé offers precision balance, seamlessly knitting an expressive range of ripe nectarine and raspberry fruit, Marcona almond, blood orange peel and candied ginger flavors with racy acidity and saline-laced minerality. Plush and creamy on the lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2036. 154 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 97 WS(Louis Roederer “Cristal” Rosé Brut Millésime (Reims)) The 2013 Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé is composed of a blend this year of fifty-five percent pinot noir and forty-five percent chardonnay, with all of the pinot hailing from the village of Aÿ and the chardonnay from Avize and Mesnil-sur-Oger. Twenty percent of the vins clairs were barrel-fermented for this vintage of Cristal Rosé and the wine received a dosage of seven grams per liter. The bouquet is pure and very precise, wafting from the glass in a youthful blend of white peach, strawberry, rye bread, a beautiful base of chalky soil tones, delicate floral tones and a gently spicy topnote. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and youthfully complex, with a lovely spine of acidity, great focus and grip, supremely elegant mousse and a very long, racy and seamlessly balanced finish. This seems a touch more reserved out of the blocks than the regular 2013 Cristal and will demand a bit more bottle age before it starts to drink with generosity, but once it blossoms, it will be brilliant and extremely long-lived. (Drink between 2026-2065)John Gilman | 97 JGA pale rosé color of this great Champagne leads to a wine that has toast, spice and layers of citrus and red fruits. Its richness is balanced by freshness that will take several years to fully mature. So, even at eight years, the wine has plenty of room to develop. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEIn keeping with the talents Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon brings to rosé Champagne, this offers joyous drinking in a serious wine. It’s pale pink in color with a floral highlight to the honey notes and fresh-picked raspberry flavors. A pink-chalk impression lasts, and though this is not at the level of the 2012, it is immediately refreshing and delicious.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&S

The 2013 La Joie, which is 46% from Knights Valley, 32% from Chalk Hill and 22% from Alexander Valley, is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Showing loads of graphite, cedar wood, charcoal, crème de cassis and forest floor, this may well turn out to be a 50+-year wine. It tastes like a great first-growth Pauillac and has an amazing amount of complexity and richness.Robert Parker | 100 RPSensational aromas of blackberries, blueberries, violets and wet earth. Tar undertones. Full body, chewy yet polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A neoclassical wine with a great future. A majority of cabernet sauvignon in this Bordeaux blend. Needs two or three years to soften still.James Suckling | 99 JSTasted from tank just prior to bottling, the 2013 La Joie is dense, powerful and rich, with notable depth. Still remarkable embryonic the 2013 remains deep, fruit driven and backward. This is a wine for the long haul. Crème de cassis, blackberry jam, spice, menthol, game, licorice and smoke flow through to the powerful, incisive finish. This is a strong showing.Antonio Galloni | 93-96 AGThe most brooding and massive wine in the Verité portfolio, creamy cassis, plum and graphite are followed by a large-scaled, dense and intensely concentrated, savoury wine which lives up to its reputation as Sonoma’s answer to Pauillac. 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Drinking Window 2023 - 2055.Decanter | 95 DEC

The 2013 La Muse, like all of the 2013s, comes about one-third from Alexander Valley vineyards, 40-plus percent from Chalk Hill, and the rest Knights Valley and Bennett Valley – all high-elevation hillside vineyards. A blend of 89% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec at 14.3% alcohol, the wine is amazingly like a great vintage of Petrus, with mulberry, black cherry, licorice, truffle and unctuous, thick, juicy fruit all present in this full-bodied masterpiece. The tannins are still present. The wine has purity and savory presence and is remarkable. The finish goes on for well past a minute. This wine would probably benefit from 5-8 years of bottle age and last 40-50 years.Robert Parker | 100 RPFascinating aromas of blackberries and orange peel with dried flowers. Full-bodied and very structured. Superb density and length. Just starting to open up now. Fantastic merlot.James Suckling | 98 JSAnother huge wine, the 2013 La Muse is endowed with serious power and overall structure, especially compared to the 2012 tasted alongside it. Sweet tobacco, grilled herbs, cedar and smoke add considerable nuance. There is plenty of fruit and overall richness, but the imposing tannic heft is going to demand considerable cellaring.Vinous Media | 93-96 VMNotes of black raspberry, forest floor, burnt sugar, methol and rich barrel toast are the prelude to a wine strucutred around fine, dense tannins and good acidity. 89% Merlot, with the balance Cabernet Franc and Malbec, La Muse is the richest and most opulent of the Verité wines, as well as the most marked by its barrel programme, but it retains nicely savoury definition. Drinking Window 2023 - 2045.Decanter | 93 DEC

Enjoyed over dinner in Burgundy after tasting many truly lovely wines, this wine could erase your memory of anything else. It is a riveting tour-de-force, with a medium lemon-yellow colour and heady, incredibly forward aromas of ripe orchard and stone fruit with exotic spices, butter, and a bit of oak. There is fresh acidity, plenty of body and extract, and incredible finesse and elegance as well. The combination of youthful fruit, fresh acidity, and robust density carry this wine to an interminable finish.Decanter | 100 DECThe 2014 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is a wine that leaves you lost for words - never helpful in this profession. It begs the question: Why are not all Corton-Charlemagnes like this? It has a stunning bouquet with a profound mix of yellow plum, Mirabelle, Seville orange marmalade, those liquid minerals and later, scents of cold wet limestone. The palate is incredibly powerful with stunning acidity. There are multiple layers of spice-tinged citrus fruit, just a faint tinge of marzipan, wondrous umami sensation in the mouth with grilled walnut and a hint of pralines towards the finish. This represents an astonishing Corton-Charlemagne that might end up touching the imperious 2005. Readers should note that Raphael told me that the release of this will be delayed, just like the 2005 and 2010. Put it on your wish list and wait.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe 2014 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru was the first time I had tasted the wine in bottle after first sampling it at the domaine. It is more open than expected and displays less reduction than the 2005 tasted alongside, offering penetrating citrus peel, lanolin, crushed limestone and fragrant yellow flower scents. The palate is beautifully balanced with razor-sharp acidity and an extraordinarily saline, praline-tinged finish that electrifies the senses. It flirted with perfection in 2016 and it is still within a whisker now. Tasted at Otto’s restaurant in London.Vinous Media | 99 VMA still somewhat reticent nose grudingly speaks of discreet wood, smoky mineral reduction, petrol, green apple, white rose and spice elements. In the same vein as the nose, the dense and well-muscled broad-shouldered flavors are still moderately tightly wound while delivering an abundance of minerality on the massively persistent, highly complex and perfectly well-balanced finish that is quite dry yet not especially austere. This is sufficiently backward at present to need continued cellaring even though with say 30 or so minutes of air in a decanter, it could be approached. With that qualification duly noted, I would strongly advised holding this unicorn of a wine for another 5ish years. In a word, OK, two, absolutely brilliant.Burghound | 98 BH

Pure perfection in a glass, the 2015 Madrona Ranch is more elegant and finesse-driven than the Cappella, yet doesn’t give an inch with regard to power, richness, and length. Coming from a site just outside of St. Helena at the base of Spring Mountain, this beauty is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 11% Petit Verdot, and 2% Merlot. Insane notes of blackcurrant and blueberry fruits, truffle, gravelly minerality, forest floor, and exotic flowers all emerge from this full-bodied wine that has everything you could want from a glass of wine. Full-bodied, thrillingly textured, seamless, and with incredible intensity, it one of those wines where you run out of adjectives trying to describe it. In short, this is a perfect, legendary wine from this awesome winemaker and vineyard.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe clarity and transparency are superb in this young red with blackberries, blackcurrants, and floral aromas, which follow through to a full body. Lush and plush velvety tannins unfold to a refined and almost powdery texture. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2015 Madrona Ranch is a total stunner. Deep, sumptuous and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2015 is a vivid, super-expressive wine. The final phase of aging in barrel has softened some of the contours and yielded a Madrona Ranch that should, atypically, drink well pretty much upon release. Blueberry jam, lavender, spice and leather infuse the racy, open-knit finish in this spectacular wine from David Abreu and Brad Grimes.Vinous Media | 98 VMAs for the 2015 Madrona Ranch, there are 20 barrels of it, which is essentially 500 cases of wine. A wine of surreal richness and intensity, with an opaque blue/black/purple color, the wine smells awesome, with notes of charcoal, camphor, incense, graphite, blackberry, cassis and possibly some floral undertones. Unctuously textured, thick and juicy, with an energized mouthfeel despite its massive fruit and extract, this is an incredible effort and one that will age for 35-50 years.Robert Parker | 98-100 RPRichly layered, with warmed fig, boysenberry compote and blueberry reduction flavors, all allied to substantial but very creamy and polished tannins. This is infused liberally with espresso-accented toast, letting a light alder hint show on the finish. A gorgeous example of the style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Best from 2020 through 2038. 369 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

An utterly perfect wine from Alain Vauthier, the 2015 Château Ausone offers off the hook notes of crème de cassis, black raspberries, toasted spice and dried flowers, with more floral and mineral characteristics developing with time in the glass. Amazingly deep, full-bodied, pure and ethereally textured, with building density and tannin, it’s one of those wines that need to be tasted to be believed. Unfortunately, the production is minuscule (and expensive). A wine that will make your heart rate jump, give it 4-5 years of cellaring and I suspect it will keep for as long as you’d like to hang on to bottles. It’s a tour de force in wine and the wine of the vintage in 2015.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis magnificent wine brings together the great fruit of the vintage in a complex structure. The acidity, ripe tannins and power of this dense wine are enormous, as is its aging potential. With that acidity and tannic structure, and with the perfumes from the Cabernet Franc, this wine will evolve slowly and with a measured pace. Drink from 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEComposed of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot aged in French oak barrels, 85% new, for 20 months, the 2015 Ausone features a deep garnet-purple color and comes bounding out of the glass with expressive plum preserves, wild blueberries and cherry pie aromas plus fragrant nuances of roses, licorice, Indian spices, baker’s chocolate, new leather and cedar chest plus a touch of underbrush. Big, rich, opulent and full-bodied in the mouth, it is laden with bold blue and black fruits, superbly supported by very firm, very finely grained tannins and wonderfully seamless freshness, finishing with long-lingering exotic spice hints.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RP(Château Ausone St.-Emilion, France) Very intense and aromatic Ausone with rose petals, fresh herbs, dark berries and raspberries. Full body and great intensity and brightness. Purity and focus reminiscent of crushed grapes. Such beauty, greatness and elegance to this wine. Goes on for minutes. Needs four or five years to come completely together but so long and beautiful. Try drinking in 2021.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2015 Ausone has a detailed, precise bouquet whose intense, graphite-infused black fruit gains intensity with each swirl. This is very sophisticated and compelling. The poised, medium-bodied palate delivers filigreed tannin, perfect acidity and an extraordinarily persistent finish that outclasses almost everything around it. This is outstanding and surely represents one of the wines of the vintage. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 98 VM(Château Ausone, St-Émilion, Red) 50% each Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Suave texture but so much power behind. Fine, fragrant nose of pure berry fruit then real density and depth on the palate. Layered fruit and tannins but finely etched. Clean, long and persistent.Decanter | 96 DEC

From the very beginning, the 2015 Canon has made an eloquent case for itself as one of the wines of the vintage. Multiple tastings from bottle only confirm what several early tastings hinted at: the 2015 Canon is simply extraordinary in every way. Sumptuous and exotic, with no hard edges and exceptional balance, the 2015 grabs hold of all the senses and never lets up. A rush of red fruit intermingled with floral notes, spice and smoke notes effortlessly runs up the wine’s vertical structure as the 2015 thrills with every twist and turn. The 2015 Canon is a rare wine that is both hedonistic and intellectual - well, maybe it is a bit more hedonistic-leaning. It doesn’t matter. Don’t miss it. This 2015 is masterpiece from General Manager Nicolas Auderbert and his team at Canon.Antonio Galloni | 100 AGSeductive. The nose draws you in deep: It’s like staring into a well of pristine dark cherries, dark plums, blackberries and mulberries. All the oak is perfectly subsumed. The palate’s flawless with immense depth and power and it’s so balanced as to appear to float. Immaculate fresh dark-berry and plum flavors. Silky and deep, ribbon-like finish. Perfect. Best from 2022.James Suckling | 100 JSOne of the wines of the vintage is the 2015 Château Canon which is 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in 70% new French oak. It offers a perfect example of the old saying “iron fist in a velvet glove” and boasts gorgeous notes of black cherries, framboise, spring flowers and exotic spices. All these lead to a full-bodied, ultra-pure, seamless 2015 that marries incredible richness and depth with a sense of purity, elegance, and weightlessness that needs to be tasted to believed. This multi-dimensional, seamless 2015 needs forgotten for 4-5 years and will keep for three decades or more. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDA plush, inviting style, with warmed fig and plum sauce notes taking the lead, picking up swaths of cocoa, tobacco and roasted alder along the way. Features plenty of pumping bass, but if you pay attention, there’s a laser of chalky minerality driving the finish. When the baby flesh drops away, this will sail in the cellar for some time. Best from 2022 through 2045. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis estate, now performing on top form, has produced a rich, dense wine. Swathes of black fruits underline the generous structure and intensity. At first taste, the tannins are soft but that turns out to be an illusion. The tannins are just richly cushioned within the beautiful fruit. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEComposed of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old barrels, the 2015 Canon is boldly fruited with blackberry preserves, black cherry compote, fruitcake, mocha and plum preserves with suggestions of Indian spices, licorice and black olives. Full-bodied and packed with ripe, rich dried berries and exotic spice layers, it has a firm, slightly chewy structure and just enough freshness (the pH is 3.78), finishing long and savory. Give it another 2-3 years of cellaring to soften its edges and allow its flavor spectrum to fully emerge, and drink it over the next 20 to 25+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPGorgeous blackberry pastilles on a bed of warming mocha, a mouthfilling texture, bold tannins and a vibrant lift of acidity. (Drink between 2024-2041)Decanter | 94 DEC