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The 2005 Montrose continues to show brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with notes of blackcurrant, red fruits, loamy soil, black truffles and cigar ash. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it’s still brooding and tannic, with lively acids and an imposing chassis of structuring—and artery-cleansing—extract. Still an adolescent, it’s one of the last unrepentantly old-school vintages of Montrose, and Médoc purists couldn’t own enough. While this remains a very youthful wine, it is now apparent that the 2005 will, at maturity, surpass the 1989 and 1990.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP Here we are fully crossing the threshold into younger, more primary aromatics, but they are also well integrated, beautifully softened and gorgeous. This is sappy with a chalky minerality and fully pliable tannins. It’s powerful, with a smile-inducing purity of fruit expression and excellent persistency of exotic coffee notes. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3.5% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Petit Verdot. Drinking Window: 2017 - 2042Decanter | 98 DECThe 2005 Montrose is spectacular. Bright, perfumed and vertically explosive, the 2005 possesses remarkable energy right out of the gate. In 2005, Montrose doesn’t quite have the heft that it can, but that actually works to its advantage. Readers will find a wine that marries elegance with power so well. Gravel, dried herb, lavender and mocha lend striking complexity to the dark fruit in this gorgeous, regal Montrose. If anything, the 2005 still needs more time in bottle!Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis continues to be very tight yet I loved drinking it the other night at dinner. Loads of spices, berries, meat, cloves and chocolate on the nose. Full body with soft, silky tannins and lots of rich fruit. Still chewy. This is just starting to open up now. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThis is still a bit dark and brooding, with a charcoal frame around well-steeped fig and black currant fruit. The long finish lets a deep river of smoldering tobacco and warm stone notes course through. Austere and seemingly taciturn, yet thoroughly beautiful. May not be your style, but this is undeniable.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2022 through 2042. 25,555 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2005 Montrose continues to drink beautifully, with a complex yet powerful bouquet of blackcurrants, black raspberries, new saddle leather, tobacco leaf, and spice. This beauty has a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, a supple style, sweet tannins, and is a charming, layered and ready to go Montrose that has loads to love. It continues to be surprisingly accessible and is a beauty to drink over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis is so big it is blinding, a storm of mineral tannin and plum-skin extract. The volume is turned up high, and even as the tannic noise factor begins to diminish with days of air, the wine is still closed tight. The comportment of its power shows this to be a wine from a great terroir; the property, in fact, has some parallels to Latour, with its similarly shaped gravel promontory above the Gironde. Montrose consistently grows one of the staunchest, long-lived wines of the Médoc and though accommodations have been made in recent years to soften it, the tannic index in February 2006 read at 82, a force to reckon with over the decades to come. Diageo Château & Estate Wines, NYWine & Spirits | 93 W&S

This blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot (note that rarely is any Merlot utilized at the historic Napanook Estate in Yountville). The alcohol, by California standards, is a relatively modest 14.1%. Blending the best of French savoir faire with the brilliant fruit purity and ripeness of Napa Valley, Moueix has turned in another tour de force that seems far superior today than it did when it was first released. This is one of the vintage’s greatest wines. Dense purple and youthful, with a glorious nose of earth, blackcurrants, sweet black cherries and incense, the oak is pushed way in the background, as it is in all of the Moueix wines, and the result is a wine of terroir, of great originality and authenticity. This full-bodied classic from Dominus can be drunk now, but really won’t hit its prime for another 4-5 years and last at least another two decades or more.Robert Parker | 98 RPDark red-ruby. Knockout nose combines raspberry, plum, mocha, game, minerals and tobacco. Offers alluring Right Bank sweetness but also superb energy and definition; a lovely combination of Old World nuance and dark Napa Valley fruit. As suave and fine-grained as this wine is, it’s also penetrating and gripping, stony and high-pitched. Finishes with terrific tannic spine and mineral reserve. This very youthful wine still has upside.Vinous Media | 95 VMMore balanced than the overripe 2004, the ’05 Dominus is marked by dryness and firm tannins. It’s an obvious cellar candidate. Those tannins, along with unresolved acidity, give the wine a tough, almost rustic grittiness now. But there’s an enormous core of black currants, crushed blackberries, anise and cedar that’s deep and balanced. Should develop bottle complexity over many years, perhaps as long as 15.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEI appreciate the subtle complexity here. Aromas of dried herbs, currant bush, and sweet tobacco. Full bodied, with a lovely balance of fruit and spices. Very long and refined. This is open and pretty right now, no need to wait.James Suckling | 91 JSThis vintage produced a more feminine style than is typical of Dominus. It’s bright, sweet and floral, with scents of candied violets over chocolate-rich tannins. There is a grit and detail to those tannins, but it is masked for now in youthful fruit. There’s also a zest to the wine that implies it has the energy to live long into maturity.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&S

This blockbuster 2005 is dense ruby/purple, with sweet black cherries, cassis, earth and white chocolate in both aromas and flavors. A strong, mineral-dominated, powerful wine (90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc), it is extremely backward, super-concentrated, and tasting more like blood of Merlot than any other Pomerol. Dense purple, super-rich, and stunning, this wine has at least a 20- to 30-year upside to it. An absolutely spectacular effort from this great terroir, it can be drunk now, but patience will be rewarded. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040.Robert Parker | 98+ RPThis is from the first great vintage of the new era. By this point in time there were smaller tanks that allowed more accuracy between the vineyard and cellar, and more precision in harvesting with small baskets and fine-tuning of sorting (separating out parts of plots that they weren’t happy with, hence the arrival of L’Espérance a few years later). The 2005 is just right on the cusp between tight young fruit and a more complex array of ageing characteristics and it’s gorgeous. It has rich, sweet fruit, wonderful balance, clear liquorice alongside olive paste, chocolate and cassis puree, all still embraced by firm but flexible tannins. You’re going to want to get hold of this wine if you’re a fan of classic Pomerol seduction. Drinking Window 2019 - 2040Decanter | 98 DECThe 2005 Trotanoy is still a very young wine. Even so, it has aged exquisitely, with all of the elements very nicely balanced. There is plenty of the tannic heft that is typical of this site, but the tannins are very well integrated into the wine’s fabric. Cedar, dried flowers, iron red berry fruit, mocha and dark reddish-leaning fruit all open with time in the glass. The stress of the warm, dry vintage is felt in the wine’s searing tannins. I would cellar the 2005 for at least a few years, and then give it a good decanting to help those tannins soften a bit. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGGorgeous, with fig bread, licorice root, ganache and loam notes, this sports a hefty profile, with dark, earthy components matched to a well of mulled black currant and blackberry fruit. Shows a strong spine through the finish, revealing a tug of graphite that won’t quit. Needs to wait.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2040. 2,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis has a captivating nose of blueberries, spices, and fresh lilacs. On the palate this offers a full body, serious intensity, and great acidity and richness. This is a wonderful wine that shows great contrast and wildness.James Suckling | 96 JS(Château Trotanoy) Ironically, as Trotanoy is one of my personal favorites in all of Bordeaux, I had never had the opportunity to cross paths with the 2005 Château Trotanoy prior to the Wine Workshop tasting. This is destined to be a great vintage of Trot, which I have little doubt will end up superior to the more muscular 2010 that seems to have caught the imagination of so many commentators. The combination of ripeness and outstanding acidity that is found in the very best 2005s is very rare, and these qualities are certainly on display in this very young and potentially profound Trotanoy. The very young bouquet offers up a primary blend of black plums, black cherries, dark chocolate, woodsmoke, a touch of the gamebird to come, a lovely base of soil, incipient notes of nutskin and a lovely base of smoky new oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, young and rock solid at the core, with stunning focus and balance, ripe tannins, lovely, tangy acids and superb length and grip on the glorious finish. This will be a legendary Trotanoy, but it is going to take a long time to climb to cruising altitude. It should be almost timeless. (Drink between 2030-2100)John Gilman | 96 JGCertainly it is firm, with impressive power. But the smoothness of the ripe black fruits as they combine with the beautifully judged wood show a contrast of tension with the dense, chewy core. At its heart, this wine is dark and solid and concentrated, promising long aging.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

The 2006 Sassicaia may very well go down as one of the all-time great recent vintages for this Tuscan thoroughbred. The year started off very warm but by August evening temperatures had moderated, leaving the fruit with a stunning combination of ripeness, perfume, acidity and tannin. The wine is simply glorious, that’s all there is to it. Layers of dark fruit meld into smoke, leather, violets, menthol, earthiness and tar as this profound wine opens up in the glass. The creamy, silky finish lasts an eternity, as waves of fruit caress the tannins with breathtaking elegance. Everything is in the right place in this magical Sassicaia. This is one for the ages. In a word: Awesome.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe Tenuta San Guido 2006 Bolgheri Sassicaia is a timeless classic. This might just be the vintage to photograph in an encyclopedia entry for Sassicaia. This is especially true at this exact moment in its long and promising drinking window. The wine shows less volume compared to some of the more opulent vintages, but it absolutely excels in terms of length and finish. It offers amazing drive and momentum that are fueled by the extremely fine nature of the wine’s texture and the seamless unity of its flavors. It treads in light and delicate footsteps that will carry it far into the future. As they say in Italian: "Piano piano si va lontano" (slowly slowly you go far).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP(Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bolgheri, Sassicaia, Tuscany, Italy, Red) The 2006 Sassicaia still has a dark garnet colour while nose has an impression of smoke and crushed dried flowers and some subtle, charred toast notes of oak. On the palate there is a lovely, soft, velvety texture together with dark, bramble fruit flavours. The fruit feels cooler in nature with leafy blackberry notes and again a thrilling spine of acidity. For Priscilla Incisa Della Rocchetta and the Tenuta San Guido team the 2006 was ’a rather fresher vintage … an elegant wine with good structure, the classic Sassicaia style with notes of juniper, myrtle, and Mediterranean forest, characteristic of this wine and the terroir where it is produced.’ (Drink between 2022-2033)Decanter | 96 DECSweet tobacco and berry with hints of currants. Full, soft and silky. Lots of fruit and a long finish. It’s subtle, dense and sophisticated. Please give this another five years to really show what it has.James Suckling | 95 JSDisplays sweet tobacco, plum and berry aromas, with a jammy undertone, turning to licorice on the palate. Full-bodied and balanced, with silky tannins, a lovely texture and plenty of fruit. Outstanding Sassicaia, with structure and finesse. 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 percent Cabernet Franc. Best after 2013. 20,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis landmark wine (85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc) shows herbal notes of chopped mint, wild berry, licorice, bramble and forest floor. Tasted young, Sassicaia never has the same impact it will 10 or 15 years from now when all those luscious aromas become more penetrating and warm. Built to age, the wine boasts drying tannins, good acidity and firm structure.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WENo written review provided. | 92 W&S

We started with the 2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, which is every bit as racy and seductive as it has always been. It’s a great, great vintage for Comtes.Vinous Media | 98 VMTasted almost two years after disgorgement, the 2006 Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs shows a beautiful golden-citrus color and opens with a fascinating intense, floral, slightly reductive nose that develops enormously in the glass, offering lemon and lemon confit aromas along with flinty notes of crushed chalk and the iodine flavors of the Atlantic Ocean. This is an utterly complex and promising bouquet! The palate is terribly fresh but also rich, lush and intense, with the purity of the finest wines of the Côte de Blancs, the concentration of perfectly ripe Chardonnay and the suppleness of 2006. This has impeccable balance paired with high tension. The wine is very tight and still seems to be on its way right now. Although there is a first hint of aromatic ripeness, this should be a great Comtes de Champagne in a couple of years. The finish is tensioned, concentrated and mineral but keeps its talents in an almost bursting bubble. Disgorged September 2016; tasted May 2018 (lot L6316UM13600).Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis is settling into a deeper presence. It has a freshness that really appeals, along with Taittinger’s signature toasty layer of autolysis, grilled nuts and praline. Plenty of flesh and weight on the palate. Acidity clasps ripe peach and mango fruits, finishing long, powerful and fine. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JS(Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut (Reims)) The 2006 vintage of Taittinger’s iconic Comtes de Champagne bottling is a beautifully refined example of the vintage, offering up a pure and vibrant bouquet of apple, pear, brioche, complex, chalky soil tones, hazelnut, a touch of orange zest, white flowers and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and supremely elegant in profile, with outstanding mid-palate intensity, utterly refined mousse, bright acids and laser-like focus on the very long, nascently complex finish. Whereas many examples from the 2006 vintage are drinking very well at age ten, it is still very early days for this outstanding Comtes de Champagne and this wine will not peak for at least another decade, though it is already very, very easy to drink! I would be inclined to let it hibernate in the cellar for at least another five years, just to allow its secondary layers of complexity to start to emerge. (Drink between 2021-2060)John Gilman | 96 JGA cold winter and scattered frost were followed by a hot, dry July. August rains cleared in time for the two weeks of dry, warm weather before a harvest in near-perfect conditions from 11 September. The Comtes is softly rich and lush, with an elegant, approachable ripe apple fruit, a hint of buttered toast and a firm mineral underpinning. Although the texture is somewhat soft, this wine has plenty of extract and potential for ageing.Decanter | 95 DECTaittinger’s prestige cuvée epitomizes the Chardonnay predilection of this producer. This now-mature bottling is elegant and very stylish. Toast and a soft texture combine with great complexity to reveal a wine that is poised and ready to drink. But with the acidity in the background, it could still age, so drink now and until 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA vivacious Champagne, with fine integration of the racy acidity and chalky bead, rich mineral character and creamy palate of glazed apricot, ground anise, biscuit and passion fruit flavors. Offers a firm, focused finish. Drink now through 2030. 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSIn much the same fashion as the ’06 Rosé this is aromatically quite restrained with notably cool and elegant aromas that speak of citrus, floral, yeast and green apple nuances. The wonderfully refined mouth feel is enhanced by the beautifully fine effervescence that shapes the medium weight flavors that culminate in crisp, intense and gorgeously complex and persistent finish. This is not only a terrific effort but it’s an amazingly good 2006 as there are no exotic hints plus it offers exceptionally good verve. While this could certainly be enjoyed now I would be inclined to hold it for at least another 3 years and 5 will probably be the sweet spot.Burghound | 94 BH

Vietti's 2007 Barolo Rocche is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. The bouquet alone is transcendental. The voluptuous, classy Rocche shows off endless layers of fruit in an exciting and totally alluring expression of Nebbiolo. The wine seems to float on the palate, as the essence of geraniums, red berries, hard candy and minerals conquer all of the senses. Fine, silky tannins frame a finish of breathtaking beauty. The Rocche spent a full 5 weeks of contact on the skins. Like all the Vietti Baroli, malolactic fermentation was carried out in French oak after which the wine was racked into large, neutral casks for aging. The 2007 Rocche is the very finest wine I have ever tasted from Vietti. I only hope Alfredo Currado had a chance to taste this at least a few times before he passed away last year. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2032.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPVietti's 2007 Barolo Rocche is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. The bouquet alone is transcendental. The voluptuous, classy Rocche shows off endless layers of fruit in an exciting and totally alluring expression of Nebbiolo. The wine seems to float on the palate, as the essence of geraniums, red berries, hard candy and minerals conquer all of senses. Fine, silky tannins frame a finish of breathtaking beauty. The Rocche spent a full 5 weeks of contact on the skins. Like all the Vietti Baroli, malolactic fermentation was carried out in French oak after which the wine was racked into large, neutral cask for aging. The 2007 Rocche is the very finest wine I have ever tasted from Vietti. I only hope that Alfredo Currado had a chance to taste this at least a few times before he passed away last year.Vinous Media | 99 VMThe Vietti family makes formidable Barolos with strength and finesse. Rocche is one of its best vineyards. This is a monumental wine, with beautiful character of dried berries, milk chocolate and hints of hazelnut. Full-bodied, balanced and delicious already.James Suckling | 98 JSThis tight-fisted red shows a firm grip of tannins surrounding menthol, black cherry and tea flavors. A bit tough and dry on the finish, but vibrant and long. The sweet fruit returns on the aftertaste. Best from 2014 through 2028. 366 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Deep garnet colored with a lingering hint of purple, the 2007 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine reveals the most seductive crème de cassis, Black Forest cake and licorice notions with touches of violets, eucalyptus, chocolate box and unsmoked cigars plus a waft of cedar chest. Full-bodied with tantalizing opulence yet compelling restraint, the palate beautifully juxtaposes the rich, ripe fruit with wonderful freshness and a firm yet plush backbone, finishing beautifully perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP(14.5% alcohol): Saturated dark ruby! Ripe but reticent aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, bitter chocolate oak, licorice and mocha are very subtle and complex. Wonderfully pliant and balanced wine, with plush purple fruit and violet flavors displaying a smooth grain and superb depth. Spreads out to saturate the middle palate and builds slowly and inexorably on the aftertaste. This fully ripe, complete wine finishes with stylish tannins and outstanding length. There may still be more fireworks ahead for this beauty.Vinous Media | 96 VMAromas of blackberry, leather, lead pencil, and flowers. On the palate this is dense and velvety, with a gorgeous texture. Agile and balanced, this is hard not to drink right now. The finish is long, with notes of coffee and dark fruits. 15+24+23+33. Find the wineJames Suckling | 95 JSYou have to count this as another great Insignia, dry and complex and ageworthy, although the tannins are fierce now, and it may lack just a bit of the glamor of, say, the 2004 or 2001. It's certainly a big wine that floods the mouth with blackberry, black currant, cassis and new oak flavors. The tannins and acids make it aloof, resistant, tough. It wants time in the cellar. Best after 2013. Production was a hefty 13,500 cases.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPhelps's top red wine is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (88 percent), merlot and petit verdot, all grown at estate vineyards. Most of the fruit comes from the southern districts of Napa Valley—Suscol, a relatively cool site in South Napa, along with Stags Leap and Oak Knoll. That cool tone comes across in red currant flavors, in the quiet presence of a substantial wine. It's sleek with dark tannin that feels youthful and austere, hinting at a Christmas spice that predicts what holiday celebrations might be in store ten years down the line.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&SDense and tight, with a chewy core of mocha-laced blackberry and currant flavors, combining power with a measure of grace. Not shy on tannic strength, this has more power than finesse. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.--Blind 1997/2007 California Cabernet retrospective (January 2017). Drink now through 2025. 13,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Blackberry, black truffles, red fruits, minerals and flowers. This is superb with a dense and powerful palate of dark fruits and minerals. Goes on for minutes. Tight and racy. Try after 2014.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2007 Barolo Brunate is likely to leave most tasters speechless. It is a fabulous, deeply-pitched, totally seamless Barolo of the highest level. The richness and depth of the fruit is almost obscenely opulent. Dark cherries, plums, licorice and menthol are some of the aromas and flavors that flow from this textured, brilliant Brunate. The length, persistence and definition are all spellbinding purity. This is pure magic in a glass, but readers will have to be patient to catch the wine at its peak. A recent magnum of the 1990 was stupendous. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2007 Barolo Brunate is likely to leave most tasters speechless. It is a fabulous, deeply-pitched, totally seamless Barolo of the highest level. The richness and depth of the fruit is almost obscenely opulent. Dark cherries, plums, licorice and menthol are some of the aromas and flavors that flow from this textured, brilliant Brunate. The length, persistence and definition are all spellbinding purity. This is pure magic in a glass, but readers will have to be patient to catch the wine at its peak. A recent magnum of the 1990 was stupendous.Vinous Media | 98 VMMentholated herbs and black cherry are the main flavor themes, with a touch of rhubarb, while a firm grip of tannins anchors the finish. A lean, sinewy 2007, with a long finish of tar and spice. Not the typical elegance of this cru. Best from 2016 through 2035. 270 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

I still remember tasting the the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins just after bottling (which, given the long elevage here, wasn’t that long ago) and it’s still open and sexy today, with that classic, incredible perfume that only seems to come from this estate. Kirsch, garrigue, new saddle leather, truffles and spice are just some of the nuances, and this ruby colored beauty is stacked on the palate, offering full-bodied richness, sweet tannin and a bombastic style that’s reminiscent of the 1990. It’s a heavenly wine that I suspect will have a long life and drink beautifully for all of it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPTasting like the essence of Provence, Bonneau’s 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve des Célestins is ruby-hued with an incredible perfume of kirsch liqueur, new saddle leather, Provençal garrigue, lavender, and exotic spices, and it just about jumps out of the glass with overflowing character. Deep, full-bodied, exuberant, and incredibly sexy, with sweet tannins and a great finish, it reminds me of the 1990 and is a heavenly bottle of Châteauneuf du Pape to enjoy over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA slightly roasted nose with coffee bean and kirsch aromas and freshly cut mushrooms. Full-bodied and very rich with high alcohol but the acidity remains strong. Very much of its powerful, roasted vintage, taking a little leathery, mushroom side. Complex and ready now, don’t wait too long.Decanter | 98 DECDeep ruby. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes blackberry and cherry preserves, candied flowers, licorice and incense, with a bright mineral overtone. Stains the palate with sappy, spice-tinged dark berry and fruitcake flavors that are deepened by a suggestion of fruitcake. At once ripe and lively, finishing with superb energy and length and supple, building tannins. This is surprisingly graceful for a 2007 Chateauneuf, especially at this stage when most of them have gone to sleep or at least are in a sullen mood.Vinous Media | 96 VM

I think the Rayas 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape will turn out to eclipse the 2005. It is unequivocally the finest wine made here since Emmanuel Reynaud’s uncle, the late Jacques Reynaud, produced his brilliant 1995. This wine was just released this year, with the 2008 coming on the market in the next few months. The 2007 is a relatively dark ruby/purple-tinged wine, more intensely colored than most Rayas Chateauneufs tend to be, since they are made from 100% Grenache and color has never been one of their hallmarks. The extraordinarily youthful and still burgeoning aromatics of black raspberries, black cherries, truffles and licorice lead to a full-bodied, powerful Rayas with sweet tannin, adequate acidity, and an ethereal richness and unctuosity that delicately offers a sensual texture. It is full-bodied, concentrated and approachable, but won’t hit its peak for at least another 4-5 years and will last for 25 or more. This is a spectacular Rayas, the likes of which hasn’t existed at this qualitative level since 1995.Robert Parker | 98 RPThis was a brilliant showing by the 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape Reserve from Rayas, the finest bottle I’ve had to date. Offering a classic ruby color as well as gorgeous notes of kirsch liqueur, sappy green herbs, flowers, and rose petals, this beauty hits the palate with a full-bodied, rich, yet also fresh and vibrant texture that carries nicely integrated acidity and fine tannin. It’s certainly one of the gems in this great vintage and is going to have a long life. I’d be thrilled to drink bottles any time over the coming 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDBright ruby. Red berry, cherry and Asian spice aromas are lifted by sexy notes of rose petal and blood orange. Impressively pure and perfumed, with remarkable precision and cut to its concentrated but lively flavors of cherry and black raspberry. The weightless, mineral-driven character of this wine is something else. In a distinctly delicate, feminine style, with superb finishing cut and energy. This will probably cost a fortune when it lands in the U.S. , unfortunately.Vinous Media | 97 VMA very elegant, perfumy style, with shiso leaf and mulled spice notes up front, followed by silky black cherry, linzer torte and kirsch flavors that glide through the incense-tinged finish. There’s good latent depth and fresh acidity without the headiness typical of the vintage. Best from 2012 through 2022. 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2008 Barolo (magnum) is a stunner, as it has always been. Intensely aromatic, silky and layered, the 2008 is so elegant. I especially admire its vibrancy and overall freshness, both signatures of the year. Plum, dried flowers, crushed rocks and lavender build in an undeniably sexy Barolo that hits all the right notes.Vinous Media | 98 VMMascarello’s 2008 Barolo is a wine of extraordinary elegance. A sweet, open bouquet leads to dark red fruit, mint, spices and licorice in this pretty, nuanced Barolo. The 2008 is all about detail and understated finesse. It boasts breathtaking purity in its fruit and fabulous overall balance. A textured, finely-knit finish leaves a lasting impression. The 2008 is very classic in style. It will require considerable patience, despite its deceptively medium-bodied structure. This is another dazzling wine from Maria-Theresa Mascarello. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPGorgeous aromas of flowers, dried berries and fresh mushroom that open even more to flowers. Then goes to raspberries. Full to medium body, with a pretty austerity and raciness. Firm and sexy. The texture is very silky. Needs at least three to four year more in the bottle.James Suckling | 95 JSThere’s a dark element to this intense, juicy red, offering black currant and blackberry notes, with a violet accent. Harmonious and supple, revealing refined tannins and a long, fruit-filled finish. Best from 2015 through 2028.Wine Spectator | 92 WSTraditional Barolo of the highest order: a little firm yet will mature beautifully.Decanter | 91 DEC

The 2008 Barolo Brunate is beautifully balanced from start to finish. Freshly cut flowers, mint, licorice, hard candy and dark red fruit are layered in this utterly impeccable Barolo. Waves of fruit build toward a huge, dramatic finish supported by serious tannins, yet the Brunate remains one of the more understated wines here. The Brunate is all about length, weightless elegance and an elusiveness that is only matched by the greatest Burgundies. This is a dazzling effort. Readers should expect the Brunate to take the better part of a decade to become expressive. Following the Brunate over the course of several days was immensely rewarding. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2008 Barolo Brunate is beautifully balanced from start to finish. Freshly cut flowers, mint, licorice, hard candy and dark red fruit are layered in this utterly impeccable Barolo. Waves of fruit build toward a huge, dramatic finish supported by serious tannins, yet the Brunate remains one of the more understated wines here. The Brunate is all about length, weightless elegance and an elusiveness that is only matched by the greatest Burgundies. This is a dazzling effort. Readers should expect the Brunate to take the better part of a decade to become expressive. Following the Brunate over the course of several days was immensely rewarding.Vinous Media | 98 VMBlackberries with hints of coffee and dried flowers on the nose. Turns to mushrooms. Full body, with firm and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Tight and not giving much. Needs a couple of years to soften on the palate.James Suckling | 93 JSThe sweet cherry and floral core is accented by bouillon, soy and black tea flavors in this elegant, vibrant red, which persists with fine length and a finish of tea and tobacco. Racy. Best from 2016 through 2030. 266 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Licorice, tar, menthol, spices and crushed rocks are some of the nuances that flow from the 2008 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Casa Mate. This dramatic, large-scaled Barolo impresses for its towering depth, complexity and sheer pedigree. Tar, menthol, licorice and spices wrap around the fleshy, deep finish. The Ginestra Vigna Casa Mate is considerably more powerful than the silkier Gavarini, but both wines represent the height of finesse in Nebbiolo. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPOne of the truly epic, reference-point wines of the year, the 2008 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Casa Matè lifts from the glass with the classic scents of Ginestra. Pine, menthol, smoke, anise, new leather and violets are just the prelude as the 2008 opens up. Dark, mysterious and totally seductive, the 2008 is simply magnificent. Grasso is one of the hottest growers in Piedmont today. This is a great example of the level of quality that is the norm at this small, family-run estate.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis is very minerally and stoney with hints of volcanic salt. Intense flavors. Full and juicy with a long finish. Gorgeous. Better in 2014.James Suckling | 95 JSSo graceful and harmonious, yet well-structured, with a lush texture covering the acidity and tannins. That provides the ideal foil for this red’s flavors of cherry, plum, spice and tobacco. Finishes long, with freshness and an accent of mineral. Best from 2014 through 2027. 1,200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2008 Sloan Estate is racy and totally elegant from start to finish. It shows gorgeous freshness and vibrancy in its expressive dark red fruit, flowers, licorice and tobacco. Today the 2008 comes across as a relatively understated, subdued vintage for this wine. It should be absolutely fabulous in another few years. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2028.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP(14.8% alcohol): Bright medium ruby. Pure and high-pitched if reticent on the nose, offering aromas of blackberry, licorice, violet, menthol and sweet oak lifted by an element of dusty stone. Wonderfully suave, fine-grained and light on its feet, with a sexy oak element complementing the black raspberry, mineral and spice flavors. Very dense but not at all heavy, showing terrific floral energy and a light touch for this bottling, with no sign of dehydrated berries. The fruit still conveys a distinctly primary character but the wine’s verve makes it delicious already--in fact, I’m tempted to say that anyone who doesn’t love this is a spoilsport or a masochist. Wonderfully harmonious wine with the underlying spine to support a long evolution in bottle. The substantial dusty tannins show some obvious new oak.Vinous Media | 95 VMA rich, maturing Napa cabernet sauvignon with rich redcurrant-jelly character and a lot of subtle notes, ranging from cedar to savory chocolate caramel. Then comes a much more serious structure on the palate than the nose suggested, the tannins firm but well integrated. Long finish with some mineral character. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JS

An amazing 2008 rosé Champagne that has all the structure and aromatic complexity - sushi ginger, oolong tea and caramelized mandarin orange - we associate with this vintage, but also has more charm than most. On the palate, this has stunning concentration, yet is diamond bright. The interplay of creaminess, fine tannins and mineral acidity builds and builds at the breathtaking finish. The color comes from about 7% pinot noir red wine, partly from the little-known Les Riceys in the far south of Champagne. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSA rich Champagne, with a chiseled frame of acidity meeting fine, lacy texture to produce a harmonious effect on the palate. Shows a lovely range of roasted almond, dried cherry and raspberry, mandarin orange peel and accents of verbena, fleur de sel, brioche and espresso that play on the racy finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Disgorged 2020. Drink now through 2038. 59 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe red wine almost seems to tame this 2008 a little, injecting some warmth and roundness into an alluring, complex rosé that takes in some savoury detail of sous-bois and dried spices, roasted red apple and cherry, all sitting under the same super-fine toasted almond and macaron top notes as the blanc. The acidity rolls on and on with boundless energy, but the narrow, fine fruit and umami flavour holds on for the ride. This superb, serious rosé still has some considerable life ahead of it.Decanter | 95 DECAt this age, the wine shows its maturity and richness. Dominated by a toasty, nutty character, the Champagne is underpinned by acidity and the merest hints of apple and red fruits. The wine is very ready to drink. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2008 Champagne Millésime Rose is 63% Pinot Noir, with 9% of that being still red wine and the rest Chardonnay. Notably, for this vintage they have lowered the dosage levels from years past. It is fresh with rose petal, rhubarb, sweet herbs, and apricot. The palate is structured with tart cherry, raspberry, nectarine, and salty earth as well as an attractive stony texture.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDDisgorged in 2020, the newly released 2008 Brut Rosé unwinds in the glass with youthfully reticent notes of tart red berries, white flowers and citrus oil, framed by a touch of light reduction—which I suspect is accentuated by the wine’s Diamant closure. Following the wine in my office, it was only on the third day that hints of plums and licorice began to emerge. Medium to full-bodied, taut and chiseled, it’s concentrated and layered, with real cut and energy, but it’s also borderline austere and will require patience to realize all its potential. When compared with the rich, demonstrative 2006, it was to be expected that the 2008 would represent a change of pace; but the contrast is even starker than I would have expected.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

Made in a more masculine style, the 2008 Dominus has all of that along with bigger body and more structure, fat, density and texture. Both are brilliant wines and they represent the finest back-to-back vintages for Dominus since 2001 and 2002 or 1990 and 1991. Both the 2007 and 2008 Dominus should drink well for 25-30 years.This estate, owned by Christian Moueix, includes the famed Napanook Vineyard that was the base of so many of the historic Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignons of the 1950s and 1960s. Interestingly, they have completely eliminated Merlot from the bottling. The 2007 Dominus is a 5,400-case blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. There are 4,200 cases of the 2008 Dominus which is composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Lower yields resulted in a denser, more concentrated wine. The remarkable thing about these cuvees is that they smell like a hypothetical blend of a top Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and a serious Bordeaux, possibly a cross blend of a Pomerol and Pauillac. Both wines possess silky sweet tannins, which is the big difference between Dominus post-1990 and the first seven vintages, where the tannin content was relatively high. About 40% new oak is used in their upbringing.P.S. In a couple of years, readers should be on the look-out for a new estate wine from Christian Moueix. One mile north of the Napanook Vineyard, Moueix has purchased a 36-acre, already planted parcel known as the Schmidt Ranch. I tasted some of the 2009 barrel samples and this appears to be another promising venture with a completely different personality a more obviously Napa Valley/Cabernet Sauvignon, ripe style of wine than the more elegant, complex Dominus. I’m not sure what the name will be, but it will definitely not be called the Schmidt Ranch.Robert Parker | 99 RPNow 30 years old, this venture is a Californian classic. But the real success is how Christian Moueix, proprietor of Pétrus, so fine-tuned his approach with Cabernet while turning his back on Merlot. The 2008 is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. While oak may be Napa’s mainstay, Dominus sees just 40% new barrels, leaving its fate more to a relentless focus on sorting and the Napanook vineyard’s sublime soils. A sweet floral edge enlivens creamy blackberry, sandalwood and gravelly mineral, with wellrobed tannins that only appear at the finish. For all the flesh, this has long-lived savoury nuance. Drinking Window 2013 - 2028Decanter | 97 DECThis is very pure fruit for Dominus. This will be interesting to see how it develops in the future. 2008 was a very small crop. Very perfumed and beautiful, with currants, flowers, and notes of mint. Full-bodied, with round velvety tannins that lead up to a chocolate and ripe berry finish. This is showing great fruit, and a great finish. Structurally this is like a 2005 La Mission. Best after 2014.James Suckling | 95 JSVery Bordeaux-like in its makeup and structure, this firm wine offers good acidity and tight tannins, delivering complex flavors of loamy earth, vivid dried currant and berry, with anise and mineral notes sprinkled in. My favorite young Dominus of late. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2022. 4,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(a blend of 83% cabernet sauvignon, 13% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot): Good full red-ruby. Fresher on the nose than the Napanook, showing raspberry, plum, mocha and tobacco aromas. Round and plummy in the mouth, with a restrained sweetness to the flavors of milk chocolate, mocha and licorice. A wine of moderate ripeness for the vintage, and in a shell today. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and notes of plum, mocha and chocolate. I don’t find quite the structure or grip of the best years.Vinous Media | 93 VMA short crop of concentrated berries produced this grand vintage of Dominus, one that will need long aging to show its best. Decant it if you open the bottle now, allowing the initial cabernet franc scent of green herbs to integrate—Josiah Baldivino of Michael Mina in San Francisco described it as “adding a fine detail, like a pocket square in a suit.” Air brings out the full stature of the wine, its black cherry richness, violet scents and silken texture. For provençal lamb.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SAnother fine Dominus, dry, well-structured and ageworthy. Lacks the flashiness of the dramatic 2007, but is still ripe and rich enough to drink now, and should develop over the next six years. Rewards for the depth of blackberries, cassis, blueberries and cedar, wrapped into plush tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

Orange rind and spices, such as cardamom on the nose, together with sourdough and fresh fig . Some salted butter, too. It’s creamy, supple and silky, with a salty freshness. Soft bubbles. Long and chalky finish. 100% chardonnay from 90-year-old vines. Base wine fermented in stainless steel. Only made in exceptional vintages. Disgorged after 15 years on lees with 5g/L dosage. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JS

The 2008 La Grande Année is another brilliant 2008 that delivers the goods. Straight-up awesome notes of stone fruits, white flowers, honeysuckle, and an incredible, liquid rock-like minerality all emerge from the glass, and it develops more nuance, spice, toasted bread, and an almost Alsatian Riesling-like petrol character over the course of the evening. It’s a full-bodied, rich, powerful Champagne, yet like the top 2008s, it has brilliant precision, purity, and focus. It’s unquestionably one of the finest versions of this cuvée ever produced, although it needs another 4-5 years of bottle age to hit prime time. It should keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDBollinger’s 2008 La Grande Année is superb, wafting from the glass with aromas of crisp orchard fruit, ripe lemons, honeycomb, warm biscuits, dried white flowers and a delicate top note of walnuts and fino sherry. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a beautifully refined mousse, superb concentration at the tightly wound core, incisive acids and a supremely elegant intermingling of Bollinger’s oxidative stylistic signatures with fresh, vibrant fruit. The finish is long, precise and chalky. This is a Grande Année built for the cellar—the real excitement will come with a bit more bottle age—but this is already a thrilling Champagne in the making. Finished with eight grams per liter dosage, it was disgorged by hand in July 2018. This is also the first vintage of Grande Année to be bottled in Bollinger’s new narrower-necked 1846 bottle, which should make for a slower evolving wine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPBollinger’s 2008 Grande Année is rich, ample and full-bodied, with all of the pedigree of the vintage on display. Dried pear, dried flowers, chamomile, red plum and mint develop as the 2008 shows the breadth and creaminess that are such signatures of the Bollinger house style. A whole range of brighter, more floral and chalky notes appear later, adding translucence and energy. The 2008 is 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay taken across 18 crus, and it is the Pinot that very much informs the wine in both flavor and texture. More importantly, the 2008 is one of the best Grande Années I can remember tasting. Bollinger fans won’t want to miss it. Disgorged November 2018. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGGilles Descôtes blends this from 18 crus, pinot noir making up 71 percent of the blend (mostly from Aÿ and Verzenay), the balance from chardonnay (focused on Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant). The base wine ferments in oak barrels, adding to this Champagne’s concentrated power. Its dark intensity has the coolness of Bollinger’s deep aging cellars, even as the wine sustains delicate notes of wildflowers, morels and the perfumed grace of pinot noir. Massive and still youthful, the flavors rounded into a sphere, this is a wine to cellar. Vintus, Pleasantville, NYWine & Spirits | 97 W&SEnticing hints of toasted cumin, ground anise and graphite waft from the glass of this harmonious, mouthwatering version, accenting the finely meshed flavors of crushed black currant, poached apricot, grilled nut and lemon curd. The texture shows a lovely viscosity, extending the flavor range, which expands on the lasting finish. Disgorged June 2018. Drink now through 2033. 833 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSPinot Noir, mainly from Aÿ and Verzenay, dominates the blend here (71%). Only the free-run juice is used for the fermentation in cask. After ageing under cork for more than nine years, it was disgorged with a dosage of 8g/L. The impression is youthful and fresh, with bright apple and spice notes and a hint of buttered toast. The texture is creamy and dense but very lively and very long. This is superb wine that will age for decades to come. (Drink between 2021-2041)Decanter | 96 DECA wonderfully elegant, pure and airy nose is beautifully layered with its pretty array of green apple, pear, white flower, rose petal, yeast and plenty of citrus elements. The elegance continues on the racy and intense flavors that are supported by a very fine mousse that imparts a lilting mouth feel to the notably dry, crisp and strikingly complex finale. This is an absolute knockout and a wine that should age for a very long time but because the complexity is so impressive, it could actually be enjoyed now. Even so, I will stash my bottles away for at least another 4 to 5 years.Burghound | 95 BHThis is the producer’s equivalent of a Vintage Champagne. Fermented and aged in wood and then kept for nine years before release, this wine comes from an exceptional vintage that manages to combine ripe fruit and acidity, meaning the wine can age extraordinarily well. Although the wine is just ready, it will be much better from 2022 and for many years after.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE