Wine Producing Countries

wines

"The harvest lasted 16 days from the 16th September," proprietor Bruno Borie mentioned about the 1982 Ducru-Beaucaillou. Medium brick colored, it comes galloping out of the glass with bold, expressive notes of Black Forest cake, preserved plums and mincemeat pie with hints of cigar box, star anise, eucalyptus and espresso plus wafts of roasted nuts and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, generous and opulent, the palate has beautifully ripe, fine-grained tannins and tons of youthful fruit, finishing with epically long-lasting layers of preserved black fruits and exotic spices.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe finest bottle I’ve had of this wine (which came from the estate), the 1982 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou continues to drink brilliantly and is a magical Saint-Julien. Still healthy ruby hued with a mature yet insanely complex bouquet of sweet red and black fruits, cedary herbs, graphite, tobacco, and forest floor, it’s powerful yet seamless on the palate, with resolved tannins, no hard edges, and a fabulous finish. This is mature Bordeaux in all its glory. Drink bottles any time over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD(Château Ducru-Beaucaillou) The 1982 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou remains one of the very finest wines of the vintage on the Left Bank and it is just now starting to blossom properly and hit on all cylinders. The bouquet is pure and displays First Growth depth and complexity, soaring from the glass in a fine constellation of sweet cassis and dark berries, a very complex base of gravelly soil tones, Cuban cigar wrapper, gentle smokiness and a deftly turned base of smoky new oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and sappy at the core, with stellar focus and balance, still a touch of ripe tannin perking up the backend and a very, very long, refined and complex finish. This is a great, great vintage of Ducru that may one day rival the near perfection of the 1961. (Drink between 2018-2075).John Gilman | 97 JGThis is a wine that I had forgotten about. It shows beautiful sweet tobacco, flowers, and currants on the nose. It’s full body, silky with fine tannins. It’s ready and pretty. Served from imperial bottle.James Suckling | 93 JSThis Ducru ’82 has always been a beauty. Dark ruby in color, with a slight amber edge. Very fresh and floral, with loads of berry and rose character. Medium-bodied, with a good balance of soft tannins and a caressing finish.--1982 Bordeaux horizontal. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

A massive wine that is clearly of first-growth quality in this vintage, the 1982 Gruaud Larose remains a youngster. A broodingly dense, thick, unctuously textured, inky/plum/garnet/purple color offers up scents of beef blood, steak tartare, cassis, herbs, tobacco, and underbrush. One of the most concentrated wines of the vintage (as well as one of the most concentrated Bordeaux’s I have ever tasted), it is a huge, full-bodied, weighty, rich wine whose tannins are getting silkier and silkier. It appears set for another 30-40 years of life. This behemoth is a singularly profound example of Gruaud Larose that continues to justify its legendary status. Anticipated maturity: now-2050.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 1982 Gruaud Larose has long been one of my favourite Saint Julien wines from that vintage. From magnum, the exquisite bouquet of black fruit, leather and hints of game and antique bureau is fully mature yet vigorous and so joyful. The palate is medium-bodied, with fine tannins that have melted in recent years. Here, there is more red than black fruit, suffused with tobacco, sage and cedar notes, impressive in terms of grip and fanning out gloriously towards the finish. Bottles with sound provenance are à point and will continue to give pleasure for another 20, perhaps 30 years. Tasted at the Lafaurie-Peyraguey vertical in Bordeaux.Vinous Media | 95 VMOne of the best wines ever made at this estate. Dense ruby color with a slight amber edge. Intense grape, berry and raspberry aromas. Full-bodied, with loads of velvety tannins and a long, ripe fruit and mineral aftertaste.--1982 Bordeaux horizontal. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Gruaud-Larose) The 1982 Gruaud-Larose is just starting blossom at age thirty and is a lovely example of the vintage. The deep and complex bouquet offers up a black fruity mélange of cassis, a bit of spiced meat, cigar ash, dark soil tones, a touch of petroleum jelly, nutskins and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and just coming out of its adolescent phase, with a rock solid core of fruit, ripe tannins and lovely length and grip on the modestly tannic and impressively tangy finish. For purists, there is a touch of brettanomyces here that they may find off-putting, but it is quite modest and I have no problem with this level of brett in a wine. (Drink between 2015-2065).John Gilman | 93 JG

I loved this bottle of 1982 Cos d’Estournel, and it was easily the best bottle I’ve had of this wine, which has always shown slightly tired and over the hill for me. It shows classic, even youthful notes of lead pencil, currants and saddle leather, was full-bodied, had beautiful depth of fruit, and a great, great finish, all pointing to a fully mature yet grand Saint Estephe. Drink up.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis 1982 is still displaying a beautiful deep ruby/purple hue as well as a stunning set of aromatics consisting of blue and black fruits, loamy earth, flowers, licorice, and spice box. The wine is medium to full-bodied with sweet tannins, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and a silky finish. It appears to have hit full maturity, but it can easily be held in a cold cellar for another 10+ years.Robert Parker | 95 RPThe 1982 Cos d’Estournel is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. I have always fallen for the aromatics of this 1982: roasted chestnut and a touch of aniseed that combines effortlessly with the melted red berry fruit, touches of tar developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, perhaps not quite as extravagant as it showed a few years ago, but there is genuine depth and grip here. There is that lovely savory, lightly spiced finish and a very persistent aftertaste that is thoroughly enjoyable after 36 years. This is a wonderful 1982 that will give pleasure for many more years. Tasted at the Cos d’Estournel vertical at the property.Vinous Media | 95 VMBuilt for aging. Very dark ruby in color, with a garnet rim. Dried flower and berry aromas. Full-bodied and very solid, with masses of fruit and tannins. Still has plenty of time to go.--1982 Bordeaux horizontal.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 1989 Montrose, from a very warm, dry year, is made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-brick in color (holding its color amazingly!) it sky-rockets from the glass with flamboyant notes of black cherry compote, blueberry pie, and blackcurrant jelly, followed by notes of star anise, peonies, crushed rocks, and tar, plus exotic hints of cardamom and cumin seed. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich, opulent, and well structured, delivering firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness to support the generous, wonderfully pure fruit, finishing long and earthy. This is textbook MontroseThe Wine Independent | 100 TWIThis was yet another wine I drunk with wine collector friends in Bangkok – the city is truly buzzing when it comes to wine and when you know where to look! On the nose, there were intense aromas of iron, pot iron and dried fruits, as well as hints of nuts and wet earth. On the palate, it showed a gorgeous texture of ripe tannins and lots of spicy and currant fruit character. A full-bodied, very soft and silky Bordeaux with lots of flavors and a superb finish. Just right now – indeed it seems to be getting younger with age, not older! Decant an hour before. I think it’s better than the legendary 1990. It’s certainly cleaner and more consistent quality.James Suckling | 99 JSThis was not in the tasting at the chateau, but I opened two bottles on my return home, because this is another near-perfect wine from Montrose. It is an unusual two-grade blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. The wine emerged from another very hot, sunny, dry growing season, with early, generous flowering. Harvest in Montrose took place between September 11 and 28. The wine has never had any issues with brett, making it a somewhat safer selection than the more irregular 1990. Like a tortoise, the 1989 has finally begun to rival and possibly eclipse its long-time younger sibling, the 1990. The wine is absolutely spectacular and in auction sells for a much lower premium than the 1990. That should change. This is a magnificent Montrose, showing notes of loamy soil undertones, intermixed with forest floor, blueberry and blackberry liqueur and spring flowers. It has a full-bodied, intense, concentrated mouthfeel that is every bit as majestic as the 1990, but possibly slightly fresher and more delineated. This great wine should drink well for another 40-50 years.Robert Parker | 98+ RPThe 1989 Montrose is a magnificent wine and this represents one of the best bottles I have encountered – one that was purchased on release and not moved from Berry Brothers’ cellar since. I have encountered perfect bottles of the 1989, and this flirts with that magic figure. It is blessed with a captivating bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, sous-bois and black truffle, the veins of blue fruit just toned down a little compared to previous bottles. The palate is supremely well balanced with those filigreed tannins that in some ways are atypical of Montrose. It delivers silky-smooth texture and an intense finish that glides across the senses. I cannot give a perfect score on this occasion, but without question, this is one of the great Montrose releases. Tasted at the 1989 Bordeaux dinner at Hatched in London.Vinous Media | 98 VMIntense aromas of crushed blackberry and mineral turn to dried flowers and dried fruits, staying fresh on the nose. Full-bodied, offering big, round tannins and loads of ripe, seductive fruit. This is decadent and wild, turning nutty and fruity. A beautiful bottle. This is very close in quality to the legendary 1990.--’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now. 22,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS(Château Montrose) The 1989 Montrose may not be quite as deep as the 1990, but it is a purer wine of precise definition and classic proportions. The superb nose offers up a refined mélange of cassis, dark berries, cigar ash, gravelly soil tones, espresso, fresh herbs and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and shows off excellent mid-palate depth, with ripe, beautifully-integrated tannins, tangy acids and outstanding focus and grip on the youthful, pristine and old school finish. Some may prefer the more overtly powerful style of the 1990 Montrose, but for me, though the two vintages are qualitatively equivalent, I prefer the superior transparency and more elegant profile of the 1989. The wine is certainly approachable today, but I would still give it another five or six years’ worth of bottle age to really allow it to fully blossom (Drink between 2019-2070)John Gilman | 94 JG

One of the wines of the vintage, the 1989 Pichon-Longueville Baron is drinking beautifully today. Bursting from the glass with aromas of ripe blackcurrants, plums, Cuban cigar, loamy soil, black truffles and burning embers, it’s medium to full-bodied, rich and enveloping, with powdery tannins and a concentrated core of fruit. Fleshy and dramatic, with a sumptuous, low-acid profile and a long, expansive finish, to my palate this is the one 1989 Pauillac that, on a good day, can rival the extraordinary 1989 Lynch Bages. While I tend to think it’s at its peak, every bottle I open from my cellar in Beaune seems to be better than the last.Robert Parker | 97 RPThe 1989 Pichon-Baron repeats its performance from the vertical tasting in May 2018. It storms from the glass, bearing copious blackberry, cedar and perhaps a little more mint than I noticed on the previous bottle. There is so much youthful zeal to this harmonious, refined Pauillac that you would barely guess it is 30 years old. Long and tender with a graphite-infused finish, this bottle might be even better than the ex-château example. Tasted at the 1989 Bordeaux dinner at Hatched in London.Vinous Media | 95 VMWhat a nose here, from crushed mulberry to tanned leather to tar. Full-bodied, with big, velvety tannins that are soft and caressing, like cashmere. This is so tight and powerful still; it seems to be holding back. Be patient, because it will open with another five or six years of bottle age. Hard to wait. So why do it?--’89/’99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now. 20,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château Pichon-Baron) The 1989 vintage remains the single greatest wine I have ever tasted from Château Pichon-Baron, and this most recent bottle was flat out spectacular! I have liked this wine very well from the moment it was released, but never imagined it would rise to the level it is currently displaying, and it was clearly one of the great, great bargains of the 1989 vintage when it first came out. The bouquet is deep, pure and very, very promising, albeit still a tad on the young side, as it delivers a refined aromatic constellation of black cherries, plums, a touch of mocha, gravelly soil tones, cigar smoke and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with great focus and grip, moderate tannins and a long, nascently complex and impeccably balanced finish. I last drank this in the autumn of 2017 and it was still a few years away from fully blossoming, but it is one of the purest, most precise and promising 1989s to be found in the Médoc! Great juice. (Drink between 2021-2060)John Gilman | 95 JG

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

As one might expect, this is a brilliant wine, but it remains shockingly young, even for the fast evolving 1990s. Its deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by a classic, nearly restrained set of aromatics that includes notions of sweet black cherries, black currants, lead pencil, and wet stones. In the mouth, it is full-bodied, and while technically low in acidity, there is a freshness, delineation, and classicism in this full-throttle, rich, concentrated, impeccable 1990. While still youthful, it is easy to appreciate despite its substantial tannins. It is not quite as backward as the 1990 Lafite Rothschild or 1990 Latour. Anticipated maturity: now-2035.Robert Parker | 96 RPSaturated ruby-red to the rim. Bound-up but intense nose of licorice, blackcurrant, and chocolate, with lovely oak treatment. Brooding and unevolved on the palate, but the great extract and depth of flavor are easy to appreciate. Brilliantly delineated, thanks to sound acidity. Proprietor Delon declassified more than 60% of his crop to make this sensational wine. Endless, firm after taste.Vinous Media | 94+ VMBeautifully crafted red. Gorgeous plum, berry and smoky oak character. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, long, ripe fruit finish. A joy to taste.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now. Wine Spectator | 93 WSSuperb colour, great depth of concentration shows the Pauillac character of Las Cases, severe and uncompromising now, but a great future.Decanter | 90 DEC

The final blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc was harvested between September 14 and October 3. The spring was cold, yet summer was extremely hot and dry – one of the hottest vintages since 1949. The fact that virtually no rain fell in September served as a catalyst to get all the grapes ripe and in cellars. Some bottles of this wine have a definite brett population that gives off the notes of sweaty horses, but this one did not. The ones I have had from my cellar – where I have had it frequently – are quite pure and clean. I suspect that the brett population is in all of them, but unless the wine hits some heat along the transportation route or in storage, the wine will not show any brett. This one tasted at the chateau, as well as those I’ve had from my cellar, have been pristine and not showing the sweaty horse notes that can be in evidence in brett populations that have flourished in the bottle because of external temperatures. This wine has an incredibly complex nose of spring flowers, blackberry and cassis liqueur, scorched earth and barbecue spice. It is full-bodied, majestic and opulent, with low acidity and fabulous fruit. It is close to full maturity. The wine should continue to drink well for at least another 30 or more years, but it is showing secondary nuances in the perfume. The wine is absolutely magnificent, broad, savory and mouth-filling. This is one of the all-time modern legends from Bordeaux as well as Chateau Montrose.Robert Parker | 100 RPFull ruby-red. Wild, exotic aromas of crystallized redcurrant, leather, tobacco and minerals; distinctly exotic, even overripe. Then lush, sweet and opulent, with an atypically velvety texture for Montrose. But extremely young and structured, finishing with powerful tannins and great grip and length. Almost California-like in style; in Bordeaux, they’d refer to the fruit expression of this wine as "original," which is not necessarily high praise. Drink 2008 through 2030.Vinous Media | 95 VM(Château Montrose) The 1990 Montrose is justly famous, but in my experience, it has only been a hair superior to the underrated 1989 here, and I have never understood the price differential in the market of the two wines. This most recent bottle of the 1990 was drunk out for the night in Napa Valley, where it showed very well indeed, offering up a deep and powerful bouquet of black cherries, sweet cassis, a touch of currant leaf, dark soil tones, cigar smoke and a fair bit of toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and shows off truly exceptional depth at the core, with ripe, moderate tannins, fine focus and grip and a long, well-balanced and complex finish. There is just a touch of brett on the backend here, but it is very modest and does not detract from the very serious pleasure that this wine is beginning to deliver. (Drink between 2016-2050).John Gilman | 95 JGDark in color with decadent aromas of ripe fruit, earth and amazing mint and spearmint undertones, yet there’s also an underlying meaty funkiness. Full-bodied, with layers of very ripe fruit and velvety tannins. Massive and caressing. A big, powerful wine. Like velvet.--Non-blind Château Montrose vertical. Drink now. 18,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 1990 Pichon-Longueville Baron has always been one of my benchmark wines, one that never ceases to perform. Now at 27 years of age, it is clearly at its peak, and what a wondrous thing it is. Now showing some bricking on the rim, the bouquet is utterly sublime, with red berries, cedar, touches of graphite, crushed rose petals and incense. You just want to become enveloped by these aromas. The palate is perfectly balanced, perhaps not as structured as it once showed since the tannins have mellowed, but what you get is a Pauillac relishing its secondary phase, which is almost Burgundy-like in terms of mouthfeel. Suffused with tension, it gains weight in the mouth toward the slightly tart finish. It is a Pichon Baron that only knows how to give sophisticated drinking pleasure. I once wrote that Pichon Baron is better than many 1990 First Growth, and that is a statement I have no reason to change. Tasted April 2017.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 98 RP-NMThe 1990 Pichon-Baron is a sensational wine that must have had the First Growth rattled when it was released. At 28 years old, it is still reveling in its precocious growing season. The multidimensional bouquet features blackberry, graphite, cedar and mint flanked by iodine and warm gravel on a summer day. Wow! The palate is medium-bodied, delivering a mixture of red and black fruit, a fine mineral undercurrent and a long, precise finish: blackberry, cedar and graphite remain in the mouth for a good 60 seconds. Still a fabulous Pauillac after all these years. Tasted at the Pichon-Baron vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 96 VMApproaching its 26th birthday, this has an enticing grilled-fruit nose and still feels full of vivacity. The tertiary flavours are showing through with tobacco and hay, but are accompanied by welcoming cooked blackberry fruits. This is the exact blend of elegance and power that you want in an old Médoc. Full of crackling autumnal pleasure. 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot. Drinking Window 2016 - 2025Decanter | 95 DECMore tobacco and cedar character on the nose, with hints of ripe fruit. Full-bodied, yet fine and sophisticated, with elegant tannins and a long finish. This is always a top-quality red. ’89/’90 Bordeaux non-blind horizontal. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Pichon Longueville Baron) The 1990 Pichon Baron is a superb example of the vintage and a wine that has the depth of fruit at the core to age very gracefully. The deep, complex and still quite youthful nose offers up scents of cassis, black cherries, cigar smoke, gravelly soil, coffee bean and toasty new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impressively pure on the attack, with fine complexity, a superb core, melting tannins and outstanding length and grip on the focused and classy finish. This wine is fresher and less roasted than many of the 1990s are today, and is already starting to drink very well indeed. Fine juice and one of the stellar successes from the vintage. (Drink between 2012-2050)John Gilman | 94 JG

A complex nose of subtle menthol intermixed with black currants, cherries, spice box, cedar, and herbs emerges from this fully mature 1990. It is a fleshy, round, generously endowed Margaux with silky tannins, low acidity, and beautiful purity. Drink it with great pleasure now, or cellar it for another decade. Release price: ($300.00/case)Robert Parker | 94 RPThe 1990 Rauzan-Ségla is another vintage that I have not tasted for some time. It was picked from September 17 to October 7. Now at 28-years of age it shows some maturation on the tawny rim, the core a little lighter in colour than the 1998 for example. The bouquet has certainly matured in recent years: blackberry, strawberry pastilles, touches of garrigues, clove and fennel, and freshly tilled soil. It is very...1990! There is little oak presence here (the new oak was in fact just 40%, so unsurprising.) The palate is medium-bodied with grainy, slightly rustic tannin. I love the flavor profile here: dark chocolate, leather, clove, oregano and a touch of soy that is, for me, quite Saint-Julien in style. One can tell that this 1990 will not improve with continued bottle age however, it has great depth and you come away with the sense that it wears its heart on its sleeve. Tasted at the Rauzan-Ségla vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 93 VMVery concentrated. Dark garnet color. Pretty licorice, plum and currant aromas. Full-bodied, with velvety, ripe tannins and a long black licorice and cherry aftertaste.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2004. 11,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

What sumptuous pleasures await those who purchase either the 1996 or 1995 Pichon-Lalande. It is hard to choose a favorite, although the 1995 is a smoother, more immediately sexy and accessible wine. It is an exquisite example of Pichon-Lalande with the Merlot component giving the wine a coffee/chocolatey/cherry component to go along with the Cabernet Sauvignon’s and Cabernet Franc’s complex blackberry/cassis fruit. The wine possesses an opaque black/ruby/purple color, and sexy, flamboyant aromatics of pain grille, black fruits, and cedar. Exquisite on the palate, this full-bodied, layered, multidimensional wine should prove to be one of the vintage’s most extraordinary success stories. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2020.The 1995/1996 vintages are two of the greatest back to back efforts Pichon-Lalande has ever produced, including the 1982/1983 vintages.Robert Parker | 96 RPOffers a juicy, lively core of plum, cassis and blackberry, studded with anise, violet and singed vanilla notes. Everything pulls together seamlessly on the finish, with a well-embedded graphite spine. Sneakily long.—Non-blind Pichon Lalande vertical (July 2014). Drink now through 2035. Wine Spectator | 94 WSDeep red-ruby color. Currant, loam, tobacco and smoky oak on the nose. Silky, sweet and tender in the middle palate; leather, game and chocolate notes add complexity to the wine strong currant component. Showing slightly less harmoniously than the ’96, perhaps due to the bottling, but this thoroughly seductive wine has all the components for future greatness.Vinous Media | 92+ VMIn contrast to the 2015, this vintage has a larger percentage of Merlot in the blend, along with 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. The colour shows no sign of age, although the nose has less aromatic force than one would have expected. It does show charm and elegance, however. The attack is fresh and limpid, and the moderately concentrated fruit is backed by firm tannins. There’s plenty of grip here, but it lacks a little punch and persistence. Still highly enjoyable and finely balanced. Drinking Window 2018 - 2028Decanter | 91 DEC

I love the aromas here with forest flowers, wild mushrooms and tobacco, as well as currants. Full and very layered with creamy tannins that caress your palate. So long and enticing. Such a gorgeous Bordeaux that is just starting to show its real self. Love it. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSIf it were not for the prodigious 1996, everyone would be concentrating on getting their hands on a few bottles of the fabulous 1995 Leoville-Las-Cases, which is one of the vintage’s great success stories. The wine boasts an opaque ruby/purple color, and exceptionally pure, beautifully knit aromas of black fruits, minerals, vanillin, and spice. On the attack, it is staggeringly rich, yet displays more noticeable tannin than its younger sibling. Exceptionally ripe cassis fruit, the judicious use of toasty new oak, and a thrilling mineral character intertwined with the high quality of fruit routinely obtained by Las Cases, make this a compelling effort. There is probably nearly as much tannin as in the 1996, but it is not as perfectly sweet as in the 1996. The finish is incredibly long in this classic. Only 35% of the harvest was of sufficient quality for the 1995 Leoville-Las-Cases. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025.Robert Parker | 95 RPPure violets, minerals and blackberries on the nose. Full-bodied, chewy and powerful. Still holding back a lot. This wine needs to break its chains. Give it time.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 18,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSDeep ruby-red. Deep, lively aromas of red- and blackcurrants, licorice, tobacco and grilled nuts. Great sweetness and silky texture in the mouth currently overshadows the wine strong supporting acidity and tight core of spice and minerals. The toothcoating tannins don’t cover as much of the mouth as those of the ’96 do, but this wine offers uncanny length.Vinous Media | 94+ VMShowing beautifully today, the 1995 Château Léoville Las Cases is a blend of 67% Cabernet, 26% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc (a normal blend for that period) and hit 12.95% alcohol. Coming from a vintage featuring a cool, rainy spring followed by a sunny, mild growing season, it has a more upfront, fruit-driven style that still offers lots of classic Las Cases minerality in its red and black currant fruits as well as notes of cedary herbs, graphite, wood smoke, and forest floor nuances. With medium to full-bodied richness, a round, supple, mouth-filling texture, velvety, almost resolved tannins, and a beautiful finish, it’s ideal for enjoying any time over the coming two decades. I don’t think it has the same elegance and weightlessness as the 1982 nor the precision of the 1996 (which this wine is often compared to), but it’s a gorgeous wine in every sense.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA dry, although not excessively hot, summer meant there were some blockages in the vines, and there are clear exotic notes through the palate, with the wine showing cinnamon, saffron and dried fruit. This is one of the sweet spots of Las Cases, as it hits the balance between power, tannin, black tea and bilberries, still showcasing the Pauillac side of St-Julien with a freshness and sappiness even at 26 years old. A brilliant example of how well this estate can age - and also how a touch of exoticism can soften its famous austerity. A real tickling of spice on the finish, a little dry as all older Bordeaux can be, but it is full of hidden pleasures if you just let it uncurl in the glass. Jean-Hubert Delon was here alongside his father at the time, taking over alone from 1996. Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.Decanter | 93 DEC

Proprietor Bruno Borie noted this was a somewhat unusual blend this year: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. After this vintage, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot would no longer be included in the blend. Medium to deep brick in color, the 1995 Ducru-Beaucaillou explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of Indian spices, plum preserves, fruitcake and dried figs with nuances of potpourri, star anise, bouquet garni and espresso. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of exotic spices and preserved black fruits, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic impact and length. Mature and drinking well now, there’s still a good 12-15 years of kick left in this thoroughbred.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSubtle yet aromatic character of Indian spices, currants and dried cherries. Full-bodied, with super well-integrated tannins and a long, caressing finish. Wonderful texture. Classy and structured. Long. This was wine of the year in 1998; well deserved.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2009. 18,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSBright dark ruby. Knockout perfumed nose of great purity: cassis, violet, minerals and bitter chocolate. A penetrating wine of outstanding vinosity and verve; offers great tensile strength. Youthfully tight, classic claret whose extremely long finish features very fine tannins. I’m not convinced Ducru has made a wine in recent vintages to equal its ’95 and ’96 releases. Drink 2005 through 2025.Vinous Media | 94+ VM(Château Ducru-Beaucaillou) I love the style and shape of the very classic 1995 Ducru, which is the most promising vintages here in the decade of the 1990s. The utterly classic nose soars from the glass in a refined and timeless mélange of cassis, dark berries, cigar ash, fresh herbs, tons of gravelly soil tones, a discreet base of cedary new wood and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and very suave on the attack, with a rock solid core of sweet black fruit, blossoming layers of complexity, impeccable focus and balance and a very long, primary and still fairly tannic finish. It remains young days for the 1995 Ducru-Beaucaillou, but this will be a brilliant wine in the fullness of time. (Drink between 2020-2075)John Gilman | 94+ JG

A brilliant year for Left Bank Bordeaux. This was stubborn in its youth and took time to open, but now stands as one of the great all-time vintages of Cos, in my opinion. It delivers still, at 25 years old, just utterly delicious, with complex slate, pencil lead, graphite, undergrowth, black truffle flavours and a crushed-mint finish. It is still juicy, with perfectly integrated fine tannins and a ton of personality. 65% new oak. Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.Decanter | 98 DECTasted at the château, the 1996 Cos d’Estournel was aged in 65% new oak (unlike the 1995 which was 100%) and is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. It has a straight down the line, intense and focused, graphite and melted tar bouquet. It is almost Pauillac in style, no surprise given its proximity. The palate is medium-bodied with fresh acidity, finer tannin than the 1986 Cos d’Estournel tasted alongside, but sharing those same leitmotifs of black pepper and sea salt. I like the nonchalance of this Cos d’Estournel. At 20 years it is not an ostentatious wine, not determined to go out and impress, but its nuance, stylishness and classicism grow on you. Its virtues seem to register only after you swallow the wine and find yourself tempted back for more. Excellent. Tasted July 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMThe 1996 Cos d’Estournel has a fragrant, Pauillac-tinged bouquet with the melted tar and graphite leitmotifs that I remarked upon in previous encounters. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy-textured tannin. I feel that the 1996 shows a tad more maturity than a few months ago, with undergrowth and peat-like notes surfacing with aeration and then a dash of white pepper streaking across the finish. However, it evinces fine persistency and embraces the classic tropes of the 1996 vintages. Though not a top tier Cos d’Estournel, it remains an excellent Saint-Estèphe. Tasted at the Cos d’Estournel vertical at the property.Vinous Media | 93 VMLots of tobacco, berry and spice character on the nose. Light herbal undertone. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a caressing, pretty-textured finish. Chewy. I would wait a little. 1995 looks better to me now. Outstanding but not as exciting as I remember.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 26,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The best since the 1990, the 2000 Pichon-Longueville Baron is just now starting to shed some baby fat and develop additional complexity and layers. This still ruby/plum-colored beauty boasts a phenomenal nose of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, lead pencil shavings, and new saddle leather. It’s deep, full-bodied, and sexy, with incredible amounts of texture and opulence that keeps you coming back to the glass. It makes a mockery of so many Bordeaux today that are made in a so-called elegant style yet lack the fat, richness, and density to ever hit this high a level. With low acidity, beautiful purity of fruit, sweet tannins, and a great finish, it’s in the early to middle range of its drink window (I love it today) and has another two decades of sensational drinking ahead. Readers wanting to know what truly great Bordeaux tastes like should open a bottle of this!Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThis is one of the great wines of the vintage, and certainly a candidate for one of the finest wines made at this estate under the management of Christian Seeley and proprietor AXA. Showing incredibly well at two tastings of 2000s, the wine has a dense bluish/purple color and a beautiful nose of incense, melted asphalt, and creme de cassis as well as hints of new saddle leather and licorice. It is superbly concentrated and very pure, with excellent texture and opulence. The acidity seems low, the tannin high but well-integrated. This is a compelling 2000 that is just closing in on its window of maturity and should stay there for at least 20 or more years. Bravo!Robert Parker | 97 RPThe 2000 Pichon Baron is consistent with the bottle tasted at the vertical back in 2018. It has a very elegant nose featuring a mixture of red and black fruit, fresh mint and touches of graphite (though in this bottle, it is not quite as prominent). The palate is medium-bodied with a crisp entry, offering vibrant black fruit laced with graphite and dried blood; I find more complexity here compared to the 2000 Pichon-Lalande that I tasted at the property just an hour earlier. Quite spicy and peppery, leading to a vibrant finish. This is imbued with wonderful tension. A Pauillac that is approaching its peak.Vinous Media | 95 VMA rich and spicy wine with lots of walnuts, dried berry and plum. Full and very savory. So much tobacco and sous bois. Roasted fruit too. Classic 2000. Drink now.James Suckling | 95 JSRock-solid, with a block of currant, fig and blackberry paste notes forming the core, while youthful brambly-edged grip still holds sway throughout. Lots of enticing licorice root and sweet tobacco flavors wait in reserve, and there’s nice lift from a light savory hint at the very end. Still has a ways to go.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2028.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château Pichon Baron, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) On the nose, graphite notes combine with black fruit including prunes, which highlight its solar character, but a minty and floral freshness adds aromatic lift after aeration. Similar impression on the palate with a juicy yet elegant mouthfeel that has a tightly-wound yet harmonious structure. Now at its apogee. (Drink between 2022-2030)Decanter | 93 DEC

The plushest, most ostentatious and dramatic of all the Leovilles in 2000, this wine is already sumptuous, displaying some nuances in its huge nose of vanilla bean, black chocolate, jammy black cherries, cassis, and graphite in a flamboyant style. Opulent, savory, rich, and full-bodied, it is a head-turning, prodigious wine and a complete contrast to the extracted behemoth of Leoville Barton and the backward, classic Leoville Las Cases. The Poyferre’s low acidity, sweet tannin and an already gorgeous mouthfeel make it a wine to drink now as well as over the next 25 or more years.Robert Parker | 97 RPAbsolutely knockout stuff, the 2000 Léoville Poyferré is a sexy, layered, totally irresistible Bordeaux that’s firing on all cylinders today. Sporting a deep ruby/purple color and blockbuster notes of blackcurrants, lead pencil shavings, cedar and tobacco, this concentrated, powerful 2000 has a rounded, opulent texture, sweet tannin, and a huge finish. It’s a quintessential Poyferré and my only regret is I didn’t buy more. It’s going to keep for another two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDPure and focused, with some still-primal blueberry reduction and plum sauce flavors at first, moving to hints of black currant and fig paste. As this moves along, it shows more development, picking up bay, smoldering cigar and warm ganache notes through the finish. Rich and long, and just starting to hit its stride.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2028. 20,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThis has spices, meat, dark and ripe fruits, and a light sultana character. Full-bodied, tight and firm with a beautiful freshness and great length with notes of licorice and citrus skin. Fascinating stuff. Leave this alone for at least a couple of years. Should be better after 2012.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2000 Léoville Poyferré has a lovely bouquet of brambly red berry fruit, orange peel, sandalwood, ash and a touch of peppermint. Maybe there is just a tiny smidgen of brettanomyces. The palate is medium-bodied and approaching full maturity, with grainy tannins, meat juices, sage, thyme and light white peppery notes surfacing with aeration. There is a straightforwardness to this Saint-Julien that I like, and it has the substance and balance to give another 20 years of drinking pleasure.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis wine is clearly the product of an extremely generous and successful vintage. Even if the following year is where I might go for finesse and staying power, the beauty of the 2000 is instead found in the fullness of the fruit and its frank expression. There are touches of exotic cinnamon, rosemary and grilled almond notes, deepened with layers of olive paste. Great quality, it lingers on the palate. One of the signatures of Château Léoville Poyferré is its willingness to go all out to make wines that are generous and that make you smile; you get the sense with this wine that they enjoy their good fortune and hope that you do too. Drinking Window 2018 - 2036Decanter | 92 DECNo written review provided. | 91 W&S

Hello. Take textbook St.-Julien warmed fig, blueberry compote and blackberry reduction notes along with ample graphite, bramble and tobacco flavors, then dial it up a notch. This has terrific energy to offset the admirable depth and length, and hasn’t even started a second phase yet. One of the stars of the vintage.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Best from 2018 through 2033. 20,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSDecadent aromas of strawberry tart, earth, meat, spices, that gives way to flowers and currants. Full and very soft, with refined tannins with a very long finish. This is just starting to open up right now, a real beauty. Soft and delicious with a great future. This will be better in 5 years, but you can enjoy this now. Pull the cork in 2015.James Suckling | 96 JSRight from the early days of tasting in spring 2001, this was going to be one of the stars of the vintage. And a star it remains. There is big, ripe fruit, with solid, ageworthy tannins. It may not be as powerful as some of the blockbusters of the vintage, but it is certainly more opulent, less classical than Léoville-Barton can sometimes be.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEI found this to be one of the more backward wines of the 2000 vintage and gave it a window of maturity of 2015-2040 when I reviewed it in 2003. In my two recent tastings of it, I changed that window to 2018-2050, which probably says more than the following tasting note could say. This is a behemoth – dense, highly extracted, very tannic, broodingly backward, with a dense purple color and very little evolution since it was bottled 8 years ago. Wonderfully sweet cedar and fruitcake notes are intermixed with hints of creme de cassis, licorice, and earthy forest floor. It is full-bodied and tannic, with everything in place, but like so many wines that come from Leoville Barton, it makes a mockery of many modern-day consumers wanting a wine for immediate gratification. Those who bought it should continue to exercise patience and be proud to own a wonderful classic with five decades of longevity ahead of it.Robert Parker | 95+ RPNo written review provided. | 94 W&SThe 2000 Léoville-Barton has a juicy, ripe bouquet of macerated black cherries, incense, potpourri and veins of blue fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, good density, nice structure and a sappy conclusion. This has opened up in recent years and displays a touch of ash toward the finish. Drinking perfectly now, it’s a decent Léoville-Barton that never quite achieves the heights of recent stellar vintages.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Sitting next to my former colleague, Pierre Antoine Rovani, at one of the tastings, he commented that he didn’t like the striking green note in the aromatics of this wine, which I didn’t detect at all, and a subsequent bottle at another tasting did not reveal it either. I do think there is a hint of bay leaf and a meatiness to it. In short, I find this to be a spectacular Pichon Lalande. Dense purple in color, with loads of coffee, mocha, creme de cassis, and chocolate notes, this is a somewhat unusual blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and a whooping 10% Petit Verdot, with a little bit of Cabernet Franc. The Petit Verdot certainly gives the wine more of a tapenade, floral note, which I think can be interpreted by some as herbal. This is a rich, opulent, stunning Pichon Lalande that is beginning to drink beautifully, yet should continue to improve for at least another 10-15 years and last 30 or more years.Robert Parker | 96 RPOf all the 2000s tasted in the line-up, this was the one that was most evolved, with melted tannins and exotic saffron spice notes. It’s a beautiful wine, very classic Pauillac, full of tertiary hints of truffle, soft menthol and undergrowth - signatures of an older Bordeaux wine that is wonderful to drink now. It’s probably the most perfect of the five for cracking open over the next few years but may not have the staying power of the others. Interesting to note how much higher the pH is here (3.85) than Leoville (3.5) considering it’s practically next door. 10% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Harvest 21 September 21 to 9 October. Drinking Window 2019 - 2038Decanter | 96 DECMadame de Lencquesaing’s estate has produced a stunner in 2000. The perfumes, delicate and sensuous, give it class, style and make it very memorable. It is delicious now, but there are tannins there, and deep, intense fruit flavors, waiting to develop slowly and surely.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis has pronounced bay and cassis bush aromas that impart lots of peppery and herbaceous lift, but this is hardly on the lean side as there’s a well of gorgeously pure currant and blackberry fruit notes at the core. The finish is sleek and glistening as an iron note takes over.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2028.Wine Spectator | 95 WSLot of currants and berries with a slightly stewed-fruit character. It’s full and round with soft tannins and a fruity finish. Needs to be decanted an hour or two before serving. Succulent wine.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2000 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has a strong minty bouquet that perhaps slightly overwhelms the terroir expression. I believe this comes from a high proportion of Petit Verdot (14%) that would have probably been eschewed nowadays. The palate is medium-bodied with intense black plummy fruit mixed with graphite and sage. This is a muscular though enjoyable Pichon, dense and almost brawny toward the finish, but what is missing is a sense of elegance and precision. Just a touch of greenness shows on the finish (in a positive way). A forceful Pauillac that will benefit from decanting.Vinous Media | 92 VM(Château Pichon-Lalande) I had liked my last bottle of the 2000 Pichon-Lalande a bit better than this recent bottle at our vertical tasting, and I wonder if it was more a function of the context this time around, as this wine was the only really blunt vintage in our lineup, and perhaps in a different setting (like a horizontal tasting of the vintage in the Médoc?), I might have come away a bit more favorably impressed. It is not that the 2000 Pichon-Lalande is a bad wine by any stretch of the imagination, but the inherent elegance of this great estate is not self-evident in this vintage of the wine. The bouquet is starting to blossom, offering up notes of sweet cassis, currant leaf, cigar wrapper, gravel, smoke and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, chewy and rock solid at the core, with good focus and grip, well-integrated tannins and a long, powerful finish. This is a very good wine and perhaps, the customary charm of Pichon will emerge further on down the road, but for now, I have to rank it in the good, but not great vintages of Pichon-Lalande. If it develops the property’s typical elegance with further aging (and which is certainly within the realm of possibility, as the wine is still quite adolescent today), then my score will seem conservative, but I am not certain that this will come to pass. (Drink between 2025-2075)John Gilman | 92+ JGNo written review provided. | 92 W&S

Absolutely fantastic. This is one of the most exciting young reds I have tasted in a long, long time. It shows intense aromas of berries, currants and minerals, with hints of mint. Full-bodied and packed with fruit and tannins, its long finish is refined and silky. A benchmark for the vintage. Las Cases has always wanted to make first-growth quality in a top-notch vintage, and it certainly did in 2000.Wine Spectator | 100 WSA classic Las Cases with masses of mineral, floral and blueberry character. Full and chewy, with so much power. It’s just opening now.James Suckling | 100 JSThis wine has put on weight and, as impressive as it was from cask, it is even more brilliant from bottle. Only 35% of the crop made it into the 2000 Leoville Las Cases, a blend of 76.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.4% Merlot, and 8.8% Cabernet Franc. The wine is truly profound, with an opaque purple color and a tight but promising nose of vanilla, sweet cherry liqueur, black currants, and licorice in a dense, full-bodied, almost painfully rich, intense style with no hard edges. This seamless classic builds in the mouth, with a finish that lasts over 60 seconds. Still primary, yet extraordinarily pure, this compelling wine, which continues to build flavor intensity and exhibit additional layers of texture, is a tour de force in winemaking and certainly one of the great Leoville Las Cases. In another sense, it symbolizes / pays homage to proprietor Michel Delon, who passed away in 2000. Michel has been succeeded by his son, Jean-Hubert, another perfectionist. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040.Robert Parker | 99 RPThe 2000 Leoville Las Cases is another brilliant wine and, like most 2000s, appears to just now be at the early stages of its drink window. Smoky black fruits, crushed rocks, lead pencil, and menthol notes all emerge from this brilliant, blockbuster beauty that still tastes like it’s just 5-6 years old. Beautifully concentrated, ripe, sexy, and seamless, it has the classic elegance and regal quality of this domaine front and center. It has another 3-4 decades of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDNow closing in on two decades, this is starting to soften and open, bringing exotic spices to the fore. The inky colour translates into tight black fruits with liquorice, cigar box, graphite and grilled gunsmoke. It’s still a little fierce in its tannic structure, and will need a few more years to be truly welcoming, but it’s clear that the grapes reached full phenolic ripeness. The invariably low pH at Leoville, often below 3.5 (as it is here), explains its iron grip. I last tasted this in October 2017 and it has barely budged an inch since then, but it gets significantly better after an hour in the glass (and being double decanted), giving you an idea of just how much life remains ahead. Harvest 28 September to 11 October. Drinking Window 2019 - 2050.Decanter | 98 DECThe 2000 Léoville Las Cases is a vintage that I have encountered a dozen or so times. Jean-Hubert Délon oversaw a magnificent wine in this year. The nose of graphite-infused black fruit is still vivacious and very complex, very Pauillac-like, and supremely well focused. Hints of licorice develop with aeration. The medium-bodied palate features sappy black fruit and perfectly judged acidity. Complex and delineated, with marine-tinged mulberry and black currant notes given a deft Oriental touch on the finish. Bottles are only just beginning to drink perfectly now and will last another 30 or more years.Vinous Media | 97 VMNo written review provided. | 95 W&S

A very strong effort for Gruaud Larose, possibly eclipsed by what they have done in 2009, this is a pure, full-bodied Gruaud Larose with plenty of new saddle leather, cedar wood, black currants, cherries, licorice, and Provencal herbs. Spicy, earthy, full-bodied, and rich, it has hit its plateau of full maturity, where it should stay for another 20 or more years.Robert Parker | 94 RPNo written review provided. | 94 W&SThere’s nice richness here, with velvety-textured blackberry, fig and boysenberry confiture flavors rolling through, edged by a graphite note that slowly takes over on the finish. This has serious spine, with tar and ganache echoes hanging in the background, boding well for continued development.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 18,750 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSFully mature (yet I’d say in the early stages of its drink window), the 2000 Château Gruaud Larose offers a ripe, powerful, medium to full-bodied style as well as lots of currant and darker fruits followed by cedarwood, tobacco, iron, and assorted meaty, spicy nuances. It’s a rich, almost chunky effort with a great mid-palate, still present yet ripe tannins, and a great finish. It lacks some of the purity and precision of today’s wines yet is a satisfying, rich, impressively textured Saint-Julien to drink over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2000 Gruaud Larose is a vintage that I have not tasted for some 10 years. It has a somehow sedate bouquet of dark red berry fruit, cola and tobacco scents, ever so slightly smudged with age. The mellow, soy-tinged palate is medium-bodied with soft tannins and fine acidity but maybe just a little sauvage on the ferrous, slightly bretty finish. I feel this had more pep several years ago.Vinous Media | 91 VM

A classic in development, a wine that will last for decades. It is certainly powerful, but already the shape is finalized, with its plums and berries settling down with perfumes, acidity, just enough tannins and a warm, welcoming richness. A great argument for the superiority of 2001 over 2000.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2001 Léoville Las Cases is simply stunning. I was fully prepared to decant it given that Las Cases is almost always a brute in its youth. And make no mistake about it, a twenty year-old Las Cases is still a youngster. Quite frankly, I am not at all prepared for the sheer intensity and richness that emanates from the glass. No decanting needed. The 2001 is simply magnificent upon opening. A rush of generous inky blackberry jam, spice, graphite and leather conveys superb textural intensity. Time in the glass helps the aromatics come alive. Shockingly rich and voluptuous, the 2001 is also wonderfully open today. Uncharacteristically so for Las Cases, in fact. But who’s complaining? Certainly not me.Even so, the 2001 is ultimately a mid-weight Las Cases, with plenty of opulent fruit, but not quite the tannic heft that is such a signature of this reference-point St. Julien. Readers lucky enough to own the 2001 are in for a real treat. This is an especially fine bottle, perhaps the finest I have come across. Aside from all the technical analyses and descriptors, what really matters most is that the 2001 is a wine that delivers immense drinking pleasure. I absolutely loved it.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGPencil lead, leather, smoked cedar and reserved but carefully sculpted cassis and bilberry fruit - this is Léoville-Las Cases showing its classicism in a vintage that is the home of balanced, nuanced and elegant wines. It continues to open and gather depth over 15 minutes in the glass, suggesting there is plenty of potential ahead, but the tannins have now softened and integrated into the overall structure. Grip and freshness runs right through the palate, and a Cabernet-dominated savouriness makes you salivate through the finish. Plenty of power at 21 years old. Beautiful dark fruits, a successful reflection of a vintage that still has plenty to offer. Drinking Window 2021 - 2044.Decanter | 95 DECA very typical Las Cases with a Pauillac note, even though it’s St.-Julien. Lead pencil, dried herb, currant and black olive. Medium-to full-bodied, firm and creamy with a long finish. It’s very persistent. Pretty austerity. Be sure to decant this a couple of hours in advance. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2001 Léoville Las Cases is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet colored with a touch of brick, it charges out of the glass sporting energetic notes of kirsch, blackberry preserves and blackcurrant pastilles with underlying scents of star anise, cumin seed, potpourri, oolong tea and tobacco leaf plus a waft of incense. The medium-bodied, exquisitely elegant palate explodes with a myriad of exotic spice, floral and dried berries notes, framed by soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and with impeccable poise and sophistication.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA long, refined beam of gently mulled black currant and plum fruit is inlaid liberally with a smoldering charcoal note, while tobacco, ganache and warm paving stone accents form the background. A touch reticent through the finish, with the charcoal edge winning out. Shows lovely cut and length.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2035. 11,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSComing from an underrated vintage in Bordeaux, the 2001 Château Léoville Las Cases is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc that hit 13% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.7 and an IPT of 70. This was a milder, cooler year, and the 2001 offers a more complex, mature bouquet of cedary herbs, menthol, tobacco, lead pencils, and dried flowers, with a wonderful core of sweet red and black fruits. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a wonderful mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a great finish. It’s drinking at point today yet certainly has another 10-15 years of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDNo written review provided. | 93 W&S

What a perfumed, elegant, structured wine, with all the elements of fruit, wood, tannins just in the right place. It shows great tannins, powerful black and red berry fruits, denseness, and a classic, fresh aftertaste.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA dense and decadent wine with chocolate, currant and licorice aromas and flavors. Medium to full body, firm tannins and a fresh finish. A beautiful wine now. It shows the finesse and class of an aged Bordeaux.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2001 Gruaud Larose has a much more vivacious bouquet than the millennial Gruaud, featuring vibrant black cherry and raspberry fruit, pressed iris, light peaty scents and a touch of tobacco that emerges with time. There is more delineation here compared to the 2000. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and touches of soy borrowed from the previous vintage, yet there is more depth and delineation toward the finish.Vinous Media | 92 VMThis shows a rich and dense nose of blackberry, coffee and smoke. Full-bodied, with soft and round tannins and a long, smoky finish. Very fresh and velvety. GL is really doing excellent things these days, even in less-than-easy vintages. Best after 2008. 2,455 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSSurprisingly accessible as well as supple, this 2001 St.-Julien reveals a deep plum/purple color along with a rich bouquet of smoke, roasted vegetables, black currants, plums, licorice, and Asian spices. Velvety-textured and medium-bodied, with loads of fruit, and a plump, expansive, plush texture, this is an atypically forward Gruaud Larose to drink now and over the next 12-14 years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

Although in the shadow of the millennial vintage, 2001s can be just as good (and on the right bank arguably better). This has a very deep, unevolved colour. The nose has sweet, charming, berry fruit with mint, vanilla and a hint of tobacco. It’s rich and svelte on the palate, concentrated and juicy with fine underlying tannins. There’s an intense sucrosity but with no trace of jamminess. The very long aftertaste is silky with fine, lifted acidity. This is a stylish wine that’s now beginning to show maturity. Drinking Window 2018 - 2030.Decanter | 95 DECA very successful effort for this vintage in the Medoc, this deep ruby/purple-colored Pauillac exhibits class/nobility/breed along with black currant liqueur, licorice, and incense notes. Sweet, expansive, fleshy, and medium to full-bodied, with good structure, ripe tannin, and a long, 30-35 second finish, it can be drunk now, but will be even better in 2-3 years; it will last for 12-15 years. I had this wine three separate times out of bottle, and it is performing significantly better than it did from cask.Robert Parker | 93 RPThe 2001 Pichon Baron has less fruit intensity on the nose compared to the 2000, and more red fruit, laced with smoke and blood orange – traits that I have noted on previous bottles. Hints of dried blood emerge with time. The focused palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fresh and quite minty. Graphite and a sprinkling of white pepper appear toward the finish. This is one occasion on the Left Bank where I find that the 2000 has more authority, although the 2001 has plenty of charm.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe 2001 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron is now fully mature yet in the mid to early stages of its drinking plateau. Based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc that checked in at healthy yields of 40 hectoliters per hectare, its ruby hue is followed by a beautiful perfume of blackcurrants, cedarwood, spice box, lead pencil shavings, and forest floor. This is quintessential Pauillac on the nose and classic, medium-bodied, and elegant on the palate, with terrific balance, a beautiful sense of elegance, silky tannins, and a great finish. It’s drinking at point for my palate and I don’t see any upside, yet it will certainly evolve gracefully for another two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis is complex and beautiful now with liquorice and currant, with delicate sweet tobacco character on the nose and palate. Medium-to-full body with subtle, entrancing flavors and textures. So right now. Almost a soya undertone to the subtle fruit. A gorgeous claret at its peak.James Suckling | 92 JSDark-colored, with floral and lanolin aromas with hints of fruit. Full-bodied, with chunky tannins and a long finish. A bit short and austere. Needs bottle age to show its full potential. Best after 2007.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Gorgeous, a clear step up from the 2000 vintage as it approaches its second decade. This is not quite ready to drink, although a few hours in a decanter could open it up sufficiently. It’s full of intense, tight and spirited black fruits, replete with this château’s signature richness of structure, which seems to ooze naturally through the tannins. There’s a real sense of energy and zest, with liquorice, slate, spice, cassis and black cherry. The second half of August was hotter in 2001 than 2000 in St-Estèphe, and the grapes were left to reach a long, slow maturity. Harvesting did not begin until 1 October when the nights were getting cooler –this will have helped the wine keep its remarkable freshness. Matured in 80% new oak. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040Decanter | 95 DECThe 2001 Cos d’Estournel is blended of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot—a very high percentage of Merlot in this vintage and a very late harvest, which started on October 1st. Deep garnet in color, the nose is singing with savory notes of smoked meats, tapenade, bay leaves and beef drippings with a core of plum preserves, redcurrant jelly, dried cherries and baked blackcurrants with wafts of peppermint tea and dried roses. Medium-bodied, the palate practically tingles with vibrant dried herbs, red fruit preserves and minty notes, structured with firm, finely grained tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and minerally.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2001 Cos d’Estournel has a fresher nose than the 2000, showing more focus and vigor and delivering black cherries mixed with fig, blood orange and light cigar box aromas. Side by side, this is certainly more youthful. The palate is well balanced with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, and fine grip and freshness. This is still quite tight at 20 years old and would certainly benefit from decanting. Blood orange and a light sprinkling of white pepper appear toward the finish. In this face-off, I have a preference for the 2001 over the 2000.Vinous Media | 93 VMVelvety textured with soft and silky tannins and a chocolate, meat and berry character. Full and round. Slightly forgotten and delicious. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSSuave, with a cool, minty hint weaving around the core of mulled red currant, blackberry and plum fruit. Lovely spice, black tea and singed juniper notes are perfectly inlaid throughout, showing a tug of charcoal at the very end.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2025. 17,705 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSNo written review provided. | 91 W&S

The prodigious, fantastic 2003 Cos d’Estournel is a candidate for “wine of the vintage.” A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon (unusually high for this chateau), 30% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, 17,500 cases were produced from low yields. An inky/blue/purple color is accompanied by a compelling perfume of black fruits, subtle smoke, pain grille, incense, and flowers. With extraordinary richness, full body, and remarkable freshness, elegance, and persistence, this is one of the finest wines ever made by this estate. The good news is that it will be drinkable at a young age yet evolve for three decades or more. Kudos to winemaker Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier.Robert Parker | 98 RPA dense and powerful wine as always with very ripe fruit yet an underlying freshness and complexity with tobacco, dried fruit and fresh spices such as lemon grass and Thai basil. Layered and long. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2003 Cos d’Estournel is a total knock out. Super-ripe and opulent from the outset, the 2003 is a big, ample Cos that takes over all the senses and never lets up. The bouquet alone – with its alluring notes of tobacco, cedar, spice, dark roasted fruits, leather and smoke – is stunning in its beauty. All of those nuances follow through on the palate, where the 2003 is thick, dense and concentrated. The 2003 is just beginning to enter the very early part of its optimal drinking window. Despite its very ripe feel, the 2003 needs further time in bottle to fully come together. Interestingly, the 2005 is quite a bit more expressive and rewarding to drink now. The 2003 is a superb Cos that captures the essence of this freakishly hot, record-setting vintage. Although the 2003 is the product of a very warm vintage, the wine was remarkably fresh, even two days after having been opened. In 2003 the blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGWith its aromas of new wood, spice and black fruits, this promises from the start to be a powerful, polished wine. It is dense, very ripe (from the high percentage of Merlot in the blend), but still packed with tannins. It’s a massive wine, bringing together the heat of 2003 with the big tannins of Saint-Estèphe. Imported by Diageo Chateau & Estates.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis sports a pretty juicy edge, with dark currant and fig flavors and a hint of bramble in the mix. Ample tobacco, ganache and humus notes add range and character, leading to a long, smoldering finish. The slightly grainy structure is the only blip here.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2030. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSExcellent quality and surprisingly fresh given the vintage, this wine is clearly ready to drink now, however there’s no rush to drink this urgently - one of the key markers of a great Bordeaux wine is that, even if it evolves quickly, it reaches a point where it stops and sticks – and I feel that is what we have here. Expect the full array of soft leather, truffle, spice and fig. In early August, technical director Dominique Arangoïts remembers smelling cooked fruit in the vines at night-time. The levels of malic acid were one of the lowest on record, and the alcohol fairly reasonable also. This has aged far better than expected, no doubt helped by the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the clay subsoils of St-Estèphe and the old Merlot vines (between 80 and 100 years old). The harvest was finished by 25 September, earlier than most in the appellation. Drinking Window 2018 - 2028Decanter | 92 DEC