Wine Ratings

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As it usually does, this brings another dimension of complexity with notably ripe yet elegant, even airy red berry fruit aromas, earth, underbrush, spice hints and a touch of jerky, all of which are picked up by the layered, seductive, rich, and full-bodied flavors that are blessed with ample dry extract on the palate staining, velvety and impressively long finish.Burghound | 93 BHBright medium red. Strawberry, raspberry, game and a hint of rust on the nose. The silkiest and most opulent yet of these 2007s, with complex flavors of red berries, chocolate, animal fur and mineral dust framed by harmonious acidity. Offers lovely sweetness in the middle, but really excites the palate on the classically dry finish.Vinous Media | 93 VMLightly-cooked cherry and red currant, mingle on the nose of Claude Dugat’s 2007 Charmes Chambertin, then re-emerge on an infectiously juicy, silken, subtly sweet palate. When tasted immediately after his 2008s, this offers both striking and welcome contrast due to its generosity of fruit, textural polish, and spiciness. Faint hints of game add complexity and a slightly drying hint of tannin diminishes the otherwise impressively persistent finish slightly. Still, this ought to perform impressively for at least the next 5-7 years, and quite possibly beyond that, though I would want to monitor it in a few years’ time to properly assess that possibility.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

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

This is a step up from the linear and fresh 2006. It shows subtle depth and power with a dense block of vivid fruit that’s highlighted with lemon zest, green apples and hints of white peaches. Just the right amount of praline and nuts on the nose. Fine and tight bead give the Champagne a luxurious mouthfeel. One for now or the cellar. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSAlways one of the great Champagnes, this comes from a year that is generally regarded as good but not great. And yet, with this Champagne is magnificent. The wine has some good bottle age, hinting at toast while also keeping the tight, mineral edge of a great wine from the Côte des Blancs. Drink from 2020.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WETaittinger’s 2007 Comtes de Champagne will be nearly impossible to resist upon release. Soaring aromatics, mid-weight structure and soft contours give the 2007 its alluring personality. Lemon oil, white flowers, mint, chamomile and green pear add brightness and freshness throughout, with a persistent, clean finish that makes it impossible to resist a second taste. Today, the 2007 comes across as a slightly more open version of the 2004, with freshness that makes that wine so appealing, and a touch of textural richness that recalls the 2002. Although the 2007 does not have the explosive energy or verticality of the profound 2006, it will drink better earlier. The 2007 has been positively brilliant on the three occasions I have tasted it so far.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2007 Comtes de Champagne is an astonishing Champagne. With aromas of dried flowers, chamomile and plenty of freshness, the bouquet is complex and dense. The fine and pure texture on the palate is supported by a chalk and iodine finish.Decanter | 96 DEC(Taittinger “Comtes de Champagne” Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésime (Reims)) The new vintage of Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs is the 2007 and the wine is simply outstanding. The bouquet is deep, pure and very precise in its constellation of apple, pear, lemon zest, chalky minerality, incipient notes of crème patissière, a bit of fresh almond and a topnote of white lilies. On the palate the wine is brisk, youthful, full-bodied and laser-like in its focus, with a great core of fruit, superb mineral drive, utterly refined mousse, nascent complexity and stunning length and grip on the still very young finish. As is proper for the vintage differences, the 2007 Comtes is quite a bit more youthful out of the blocks than the very fine 2006 version was, but in the long run, this seems likely to be every bit as impressive with a bit more bottle age. (Drink between 2022-2065)John Gilman | 96 JGThe 2007 Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne continues to show very well, and it hasn’t evolved appreciably since I last tasted it a few months ago. Revealing a pretty bouquet of lemon oil, lily pollen, dried white flowers, blanched almonds and crushed chalk, it’s medium to full-bodied, chiseled and tensile, with excellent depth at the core, racy acids and a pure, precise and notably chalky finish. Tight-knit without being austere, it’s a very classically balanced middleweight Comtes that has a long future ahead of it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP An intriguing 2007, this is 100% Chardonnay from grand cru sites in the Côte des Blancs, a small portion aged in oak barrels, the blend then aged ten years on the lees. Over that time, it developed mature tones of bottle age that add to its vibrant freshness. It’s a grand wine with floral notes of beeswax and nutty tones of yeast autolysis. Age it to let the inherent opulence develop.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SElegant and toasty, with a firm backbone of acidity structuring the brioche, lemon zest, poached apricot and spun honey flavors as they ride the lacy bead. Grated ginger and chalk notes detail the lively finish. Drink now through 2028. 20,000 cases made, 1,250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(Taittinger Brut - Blanc de Blancs Villages Champagne/Sparkling) A relatively restrained nose reflects notes of cool petrol, green apple, citrus rind, white flower and a hint of yeast character. The beautifully refined and equally restrained middle weight flavors possess a really lovely mouth feel, indeed it’s almost delicate thanks to the very fine mousse though I was a bit surprised to find a vague hint of sweetness on the nicely complex finish. This is certainly very pretty and I particularly like the mouth feel but I am partial to drier Champagnes and this, good as it is, isn’t quite as crisp as I would prefer. I would further observe that this is at an inflection point in terms of its maturity and thus could easily be enjoyed now, or if you favor more obvious secondary influence, it could be held for another 5 to 8 years with no trouble. (Drink starting 2018)Burghound | 93 BH

Tasted single blind against its peers. Denis Dubourdieu conjured a wonderful Barsac in 2007. Here there is an initial lightness on the nose that builds with each swirl of the glass. It exhibits fine minerality with apple, dried honey and a touch of wet stone. The palate is very harmonious with good acidity, very focused and succinct with great precision towards the poised finish. This has barely starting motoring, but it possesses an unbridled sense of nonchalance. Tasted January 2011.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2007 Doisy-Daëne is consistent with my note from last year with saffron and quince on the nose, the Aszu-element perhaps not quite as pronounced. The palate is both elegant and nuanced. Very fine. Tasted at the 2007 horizontal in Sauternes.Vinous Media | 93 VMVery fruity, showing tropical fruit such as mango on the nose, with lots of spice. Full-bodied and really sweet, with a honeylike, almost syrupy density. Spicy and intense on the finish. Best after 2015.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2007 Doisy-Daëne is a beautiful and very elegant young bottle of Sauternes. The bouquet is deep, very floral and complex, as it wafts from the glass in a blend of lemon, pear, acacia blossoms, chalky soil tones, bee pollen, a gentle base of vanillin oak and a topnote of coconut water. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, fresh and impeccably balanced, with lovely acidity, excellent focus and a very long, refined and dancing finish. This is a classic example of what looks likely to be a brilliant vintage for the late-harvest wines of Sauternes and Barsac, as the cooler summer and late-arriving botrytis has given these wines a zesty, ethereal quality that is simply stunning. (Drink between 2017 - 2040)John Gilman | 92+ JGThe color is light on this wine, which is really only just beginning to show richness. The botrytis dominates, with a fat, oily texture needing many years of aging. There is a lovely ripe orange marmalade flavor on the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2007 Doisy Daene is medium yellow-gold colored. It has a quite nutty nose of hazelnuts and toasted almonds with hints of burnt sugar, preserved citrus peel, and truffles. The palate is rich and savory, with mature nutty flavors and a spicy finish.The Wine Independent | 92 TWI

Good full red. Flamboyant, soil-inflected nose offers raspberry, minerals and iodine, with exotic suggestions of white flowers and apricot. Then lush, silky and utterly seamless, combining an exotic perfume with great inner-mouth energy. The wonderfully subtle, kaleidoscopic finish throws off scents of raspberry, minerals, flowers and minerals and goes on and on.Vinous Media | 95 VMStill very young, this is showing the proper staying power of a powerful wine. The structure is complex and dense, the plum and cranberry fruits are wrapped in tannins and hints of wood. The wine powers through the palate, promising long-term aging. A great success for the vintage.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WERose petal, fennel, licorice, raspberry and dark cherry, and decadent gaminess in the nose of Bouchard’s 2007 Chambertin Clos de Beze lead into a correspondingly complex palate that combines a silken texture with bright, penetrating fruit of a sort rare in 2007. Persistently alluring rose and peony perfume lends persistent allure as this finishes with delightful and profound interaction of fruit, mineral, floral, and animal elements. It should be worth following for at least 12-15 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPAs it usually does, this offers another level of aromatic complexity with a highly spiced nose trimmed in a subtle touch of wood that does not interfere with the overall transparency of either the nose or the palate as this is pure, classy and refined. Moreover, the tannins are also more refined, which is unusual, and this completely stains the palate on the hugely long finish. A balanced, stylish and beguiling Bèze that is built to age, and improve, for up to two decades.Burghound | 93-95 BH

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

The 2008 Palmer has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, crushed violet and iris scents, blossoming in the glass whilst retaining superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine but quite rounded tannin that frame the pure blackberry and raspberry fruit. There are touches of white pepper and clove towards the finish, completing quite a superb Margaux from Thomas Duroux. Equal with Château Margaux? It might even be better... (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 95 VMThis has a deeper grip of fruit, one of the best so far, delivering spades of Margaux typicity and a gorgeous balance of seamlessly linked fruit, tannin and acidity. This is the right time to be drinking this wine, but it will still unfurl further. Flavours of pencil lead, brambly blackberry fruits and a cedar swirl. A gold for me, in a silver vintage. Drinking Window 2018 - 2032Decanter | 95 DECRich and concentrated, touched easily by toasty wood. The tannins are so sweet, blending easily into the powerful texture of black berry fruits with, hints of licorice. This is a ripe wine, its acidity always present.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA stunning success for the vintage, and possibly the Margaux of the year, this wine, which achieved 13.5% natural alcohol, is a blend of 51% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot. Loads of barbecue smoke, licorice, incense, blackberry, new saddle leather and forest floor notes jump from the glass of this dense, purple-colored wine. Extraordinarily intense and full-bodied, with plenty of tannin, but not the formidable structure of the 2010, this is going to be one of the longest-lived wines of 2008. It is full, rich, layered, and should be reasonably approachable with 3-4 years of bottle age, and will also keep for 30+ years.Robert Parker | 94 RPA wine that’s just now starting to hit prime time, the 2008 Palmer is a blend of 51% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot that was brought up in plenty of new oak. This medium to full-bodied effort offers a youthful, vibrant ruby/purple color as well as a smoky, dark-fruited style as well as notes of chocolate and earthy minerality. With beautiful concentration, still-present ripe tannins, and a great finish, it’s a great drink today, yet I suspect it has another 30 years in it. It’s a beautiful Palmer that shows the classic style of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDPalmer knows what to do. Plenty of blackberry and licorice aromas and flavors follow through to full body, with chewy tannins and a vanilla, cedar and chocolate aftertaste. Needs time to mellow. Layered and beautiful. Best after 2012.James Suckling | 93 JSOffers dark plum, mulled currant and blackberry notes, with flashes of roasted apple wood and maduro tobacco, plus cocoa and espresso. There’s nicely rounded flesh and a long, integrated finish that has some extra grip. Clearly apart from the Margaux pack in 2008. Best from 2013 through 2019. 7,080 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Super-ripe black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice make a strong opening statement in the 2008 Pichon Lalande. The late harvest that year yielded a decidedly super-ripe, exotic Pichon Lalande with captivating inner sweetness and gorgeous textural finesse. Naturally, the 2008 is young. Very young. Even so, it is stunning. Readers looking for an under-the-radar vintage to cellar of Pichon Lalande will find tremendous satisfaction and pure pleasure in the 2008. An Indian summer saved what had up until that time been a rainy and not especially promising vintage.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis displays real elegance without sacrificing power and impact. Flavours of damson, liquorice, charcoal and tobacco are layered, sexy and polished. I’m not going too far when I say that I love this. You can start drinking it soon, but it will stay on this current plateau for a good while. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036Decanter | 94 DECStylish wine, balanced, intensely elegant. It has freshness and also weight, encased in a structure that is poised, beautifully integrating black currant fruit and chocolate flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2008 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a complex, elegant wine that offers pretty notes of blueberries, violets, plums, and flowers, with even a hint of menthol with time in the glass. Beautifully balanced, medium-bodied, and vibrant, with good acidity and moderate tannins, it shows the elegant, seamless style of the estate beautifully and can be drunk any time over the coming 20 years or more. The blend of the 2008 is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot that represent a selection of 38% of the total production.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDA tight and tangy red with currant, spice and dried mushroom character. Full body, chewy tannins and a fresh finish. This needs time to open. Decant two hours or wait until 2020.James Suckling | 93 JS(Château Pichon-Lalande) The 2008 Pichon-Lalande is really a beautiful example of the vintage, and while it does not share the larger than life style of the 2009, it is a vintage that I decidedly prefer at this superb Second Growth. The nose on the ’08 soars from the glass in a beautifully complex and classy mélange of cassis, dark berries, coffee bean, a touch of youthful bell pepper, tobacco leaf, lovely soil tones and cedar. On the palate the wine is fullish, pure and intensely flavored, with fine mid-palate depth, stunning elegance and nascent complexity, moderate, refined tannins and exceptional length and grip on the seamless and utterly beguiling finish. This is a very, very strong vintage of Pichon Lalande. (Drink between 2018-2050)John Gilman | 93+ JGThe 2008 is a beauty in the style of the 1988. Although not performing as well as I predicted last year, it is unquestionably an outstanding effort as well as one of the better values from Pichon Lalande in many years. Its dense plum/purple hue is accompanied by sweet aromas of red and black currants, charcoal, herbs, underbrush and a hint of truffles. This medium-bodied, rich, concentrated blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc is an elegant, supple Pichon Lalande that can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 years.Robert Parker | 92 RPBuilds slowly, as the mesquite and roasted plum aromas slowly give way to more layers of tobacco, hot stone, cassis, chestnut and graphite. The long finish really stretches out with mineral and tobacco notes. Best from 2013 through 2020. 15,571 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2008 Mouton Rothschild checks in as a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot brought up in mostly new barrels. Undeniably one of the top wines in the vintage, it offers a rare opulence and sexiness in its awesome bouquet of crème de cassis, Asian spices, chocolate, and crushed flowers. Deep, full-bodied, powerful, and still young, it fills the mouth with fruit, has sweet tannin, and a great finish. It’s still ruby/plum-colored, with no signs of evolution, but is far from unapproachable and is drinking incredibly well today. It will keep for another two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDAnother hit, although this is not as glamorous as some vintages of Mouton. The expression here is just a little more Pauillac, rather than Mouton. Layers of blackberry and grilled almonds are marked by a touch of austerity in the Cabernet which I almost never find in this wine. It remains a beautiful Mouton in a vintage where you don’t always get this level of texture and expression. It’s still young - we are actually nowhere near lift off yet. Drinking Window 2022 - 2038Decanter | 96 DECA rich wine, opulent in character. There is power here, with richness of fruit and texture. It is both serious side and exuberant, with its bursting black berry fruits.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WETasted at the Mouton-Rothschild vertical in London, the 2008 Mouton Rothschild has always been in the shadow of the ensuing couple of vintages, but I was not the only person at this tasting that commented upon the class in show here. It replicated previous showings: cedar and graphite present and correct, though accompanied by something a little more exotic - eucalyptus maybe? The palate is beautifully balanced, very detailed and extremely fresh. This conveys so much energy and animation before reverting towards a more classic and structured, pencil lead finish. Those in the know will stash up on the 2008 Mouton Rothschild because it is destined to turn into one of the "dark horses" of the decade. Tasted May 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 95 RP-NMAromas of roasted fruit plus hints of grilled meat and chocolate. Full body, firm and chewy tannins and bright acidity. Tangy and lively. Needs time still to come together to soften the tannins. A little hard. Better in 2018.James Suckling | 94 JSAfter the 2009 and 2010, the 2008 Mouton Rothschild comes across as a touch slender. Lavender, smoke, grilled herbs and licorice add the closing shades of nuance in this delightful, mid-weight Mouton. In 2008, the blend is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot harvested between October 2 and 15. Two thousand eight is remembered as a highly variable year. Overcast skies finally opened in mid-September, which allowed the growing season to conclude on a high note.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis shows the cool, leafy profile of the vintage, with fresh tobacco and bay notes standing out, while the core of plum and blackberry fruit continues to fill in behind them. Shows wet earth and singed alder elements through the finish. This has nearly dropped its angular feel and is developing well, with just a slight twinge of crisp acidity on the finish.--Non-blind Mouton-Rothschild vertical (March 2017). Drink now through 2036.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The purity and precision in this wine is very exciting. Medium to full body, firm and chewy tannins and a long finish of currant and spice. Black tea and bark too. Better in 2020 but beautiful now. Decant before serving.James Suckling | 95 JSOne of the superstars of the vintage, this classic Montrose is not as showy or opulent as the 2010, 2009 or 2003, but it offers a dense purple color followed by gorgeously sweet black raspberry and black currant fruit intermixed with loamy, earthy, forest floor notes, a floral component and a long, full-bodied finish. The 2008 was fashioned from yields of 44 hectoliters per hectare which is slightly less than the 2010’s 45 hectoliters per hectare. Forget it for 5-8 years and drink it over the following 20+.Robert Parker | 95 RPMontrose always takes its time, and this is still very much young and austere but with a commanding presence. It’s a classically structured Montrose showing crushed slate, tobacco and bilberry and there’s no question that it has plenty of life ahead of it. The tannins are among the most chewy on display so far, the fruit tucked in between the layers of acidity, the overall feel one of subdued power. Give it another few years before opening then settle in for the long haul. Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.Decanter | 95 DEC(Château Montrose) My goodness, Château Montrose is making such profound and classic wines these days that it is hard not to argue that this is the golden age for this estate! The 2008 Montrose is a great, great wine in the making, as it offers up a deep and very complex nose of black cherries, cassis, Cuban cigars, a wonderfully complex base of gravel, espresso and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, tight and very, very pure, with a rock solid core of fruit, stunning soil signature, plenty of firm tannins and plenty of lift on the backend from the superb acidity of this vintage. The finish here is very, very long, displays excellent focus and grip and is still very, very closed. This great wine will live forever, but will take at least a good dozen years to blossom. Under the direction of Jean Delmas, Château Montrose is the claret purists’ perfect wine. (Drink between 2022-2100).John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 2008 Montrose has a lifted perfumed bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, iris and limestone scents, nicely defined and opening with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm backbone, layers of cedar-tinged black fruit, spicebox and white pepper, leading to a persistent, structured finish that probably needs another year or two to soft. Impressive. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits’ annual 10-Year On tasting.)Vinous Media | 94 VMPowerful yet still retaining a sense of restrained style, this wine is packed with ripe plum and sweet berry fruit flavors, laced with firm, dusty tannins. Acidity filters through the dense texture to give great freshness.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis has a density that sets it apart, with a pleasantly firm edge to the plum, black cherry and currant fruit, all wrapped with notes of iron, tobacco and savory herb. The long, rock-solid finish is still a bit tight, but it should meld nicely in the cellar. A fine effort for the vintage. Best from 2013 through 2020. 16,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

One of the wines of the vintage, the 2008 Château Margaux is a beauty and has everything you could want from a wine. A huge nose of cassis, Asian spices, dried flowers, and incense all soar from the glass, and on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and pure, with ripe tannins and a great finish. A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot made from an incredibly strict selection (only 36% of the production made it into the top wine), this elegant, regal, incredibly classic Chateau Margaux is thrilling today, but will drink well for another 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis stood out immediately among the five first growth wines for its floral hit right off the first nose. The epitome of elegance, as I found at the 10-year point, but it is now also starting to deepen and layer, with concentrated black fruits balanced by linen-textured tannins, slowing the progress of the fruit through the palate, stretching out the flavours. First suggestions of tobacco and curling woodsmoke, with a mouthwatering finish - so moreish. 1.5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Just 36% of overall production. (Drink between 2021-2042)Decanter | 97 DECDefinite richness alongside classic elegance. It’s a stylish wine, the fruit integrated into a beautiful structure. It’s not all refinement, because there is also a weight to the black plum skin and dark berry character. A wine that will age over many decades.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis is a stunning Chateau Margaux, made in a sexy, up-front, elegant style, with deep creme de cassis fruit intermixed with spring flowers, a solid inner core of richness and depth, but again, very sweet tannins as well as striking minerality and elegance. One of the most seductive Chateau Margauxs given its recent bottling, this blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot should drink beautifully for the next 25-30 years. Remarkably, a mere 36% of the entire production was selected for the 2008 Chateau Margaux.Robert Parker | 94 RPThe 2008 Château Margaux has an attractive bouquet of mulberry, red plum, briary, a hint of rose petal rather than its signature note of violets. It gains intensity with aeration, but to my surprise it feels quite forward for a 10-year old First Growth. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite Pauillac in style thanks to that graphite seam that surfaces towards the finish. It is a precise, classic Château Margaux that really delivers its intensity in the final quarter. I came away with the impression that it just does not quite slip from fourth to fifth gear. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 94 VMThis is so subtle and refined on the nose with amazing perfumes of rose petal, blueberries and blackberries. Full but very tight and fresh with a lovely length that goes on and on. Starts off slowly with a solid core of fruit, then grows denser and denser. This is shy at first, needs at leat five years of bottle age.James Suckling | 94 JSShows a lightly sinewy edge, with coiled notes of damson plum, red currant preserves, rooibos tea, singed balsa wood and iron, lacking the vintage’s typical crisp edge. The fine-grained finish is approachable already, but this will age gracefully and should develop a more perfumed than rich profile.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2020.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2008 Lynch Bages is brilliant stuff as well as a textbook Pauillac. Revealing a still youthful ruby/purple color as well as impressive notes of graphite, cedar pencil, cassis, tobacco, and obvious minerality, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, polished tannins, and a concentrated, layered texture. Jean-Charles Cazes described the vintage as late and great for Cabernet Sauvignon, and this beauty has classic Cabernet flair in spades. Powerful yet also fresh and elegant, it benefits from a decant and will continue drinking beautifully for another 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDIn the powerful style of Lynch-Bages, although perhaps less exuberant than usual. Instead the concentration comes from juicy fruit, which gives it the a softer quality. Even so, it still has solid tannins, dense texture and always the promise of good aging.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA sensational effort for the vintage, this textured, opulent, superb Lynch Bages is already strutting its stuff and should easily last for 20 years. Medium to full-bodied with an opaque dense purple color, notes of flowers and cassis, a layered texture that builds incrementally in the mouth and tremendous purity and depth, it can be drunk now or cellared for two decades or more. Bravo!Robert Parker | 93 RPMore concentrated and tannic than many of the other Pauillacs in this vintage, with powerful cassis fruits, notes of liquorice and still-chewy tannins, with cigar box and menthol starting to tunnel though. It could do with another few years, and it’s built to go the decades. Accomplished and enjoyable. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035Decanter | 93 DECLots of currant and lemon rind undertones. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Tight and linear but pretty and bright. Just opening now. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2008 Lynch Bages has a classic pencil lead and cedar scented bouquet with impressive delineation. It just takes a time to get going in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, classic in style with graphite-tinged black fruit. This is fresh and focused with impressive depth on the grippy finish. The Cazes family crafted a solid, what you might call dependable Lynch Bages that might eschew the glitz, but will cruise along nicely for a couple of decades. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 92 VMNo written review provided. | 92 W&SVery solid, with a super beam of dark currant, tobacco and iron pushed by charcoal, melted fig and cocoa notes. There’s a nicely rounded feel, but also plenty of grip in reserve. Best from 2013 through 2018. 30,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2008 La Mission Haut-Brion has an open, feisty, lively bouquet with blackberry, briary, cedar, black olive and a light seaweed (Japanese nori) aroma. This is wonderful, an intoxicating bouquet. The palate is beautifully balanced with a fine bead of acidity, very focused with good weight and structure. This is a very convincing showing, at the moment more pleasurable than the 2008 Haut-Brion, just so fresh and complex, offering a discrete tertiary, smoke-tinged finish that goes on and on. One of the best 2008s out there. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting).Vinous Media | 96+ VMA muscular wine, with well-defined tannins. The acidity is high, hiding the power and richness of the fruit behind. Then dark tannins come through, with other ripe fruits, finishing with a mineral character.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WELike a lot of wines in this underrated vintage, the 2008 La Mission was one of the great bargains of recent vintages. Its healthy blue/purple color is followed by aromas of blueberries, black raspberries, licorice, truffles, underbrush and forest floor. The scorched earthy/smoky character of this estate’s terroir has not yet emerged. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated with good acidity, freshness and delineation, this is a big wine for the vintage, but also very classic in its balance of tannin, acidity and extract. It will benefit from another 5-7 years of cellaring and should keep for three decades. The final blend was 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.Robert Parker | 95 RPA beautiful, high-class effort that offers incredible pleasure, the 2008 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. Ripe black cherries, sweet currants, cigar tobacco, and exotic spices all emerge from this medium to full-bodied effort that has beautiful concentration, sweet tannins, and again, a pleasure-bent, even sexy character that’s a joy to drink. It’s capable of lasting another 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDElegant and fresh, with beautiful crushed raspberry fruits - proof that 2008 is a vintage where terroir wins out. This all happens on the retro-olfaction: there you are thinking it’s a little under-perfumed for a Mission, but then it kicks back with a smoky swirl through the palate and the aromatics take hold. It’s very good, showing savoury black fruits on the finish and the gentlest hint of cigar box and cedar oak. Drinking Window 2020 - 2036Decanter | 94 DECFascinating aromas of crushed berry, plums, sweet tobacco and stones. Full bodied, with chewy and velvety tannins and a long, long finish. This is very structured and rich with a bright and tangy acidity. Needs time to come together, obviously. Try after 2015.James Suckling | 93 JSTangy and lightly firm, with cherry pit, pomegranate and blackberry notes, followed by sage and tobacco. There’s nice focus, with a tarry hint for added length on the finish. Rather tight now, with the edgy feel holding sway, but this should settle into itself nicely enough. Best from 2013 through 2018. 5,300 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Another resounding success for the vintage, the opaque purple-colored 2008 Clinet (14.4% alcohol) is composed of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields of 38 hectoliters per hectare, while higher than in 2010, were still modest. Another powerful, big, large-scaled effort, the 2008 exhibits an inky/purple color as well as sweet creme de cassis, blackberry, plum, Asian spice, licorice and incense notes. Layered and full-bodied with stunning purity and a 40+ second finish, this beauty needs 3-5 years of bottle age and should keep for 25-30 years.Robert Parker | 94+ RPThe 2008 Clinet has a deep garnet colour. This has plenty of fruit on the nose with ample blackberry, cranberry and fresh mint; very well defined and quite opulent in the context of the growing season. The palate is fresh on the entry with fine tannin, layers of blackberry and bilberry fruit laced with crushed stone; fresh and lively with a hint of peppermint towards the finish and graphite (courtesy of the Cabernet) on the aftertaste. This is drinking very well now although it has another 15 years of drinking enjoyment to give. (Tasted at the château and at BI Wine & Spirits’ annual vertical tasting.)Vinous Media | 93 VMClinet is always an enjoyable wine to taste, and at 10 years old it is starting to approach its perfect moment, particularly in this relatively early-drinking vintage. You are not going to be disappointed, it has polish, verve, attack and impact. The floral edged, spiced black fruits are not as complex or momentous as Clinet in 2009 or ’10, but the liquorice and dark chocolate gives a Pomerol polish, as do those deft tannins. Drinking Window 2018 - 2036Decanter | 93 DECRipe, rich and almost flashy, with gorgeous spice, mocha and warm raspberry ganache notes up front, followed by darker fig, currant, graphite and black tea on the long, racy finish. Accessible now, this will be a real winner when it knits together fully. Best from 2013 through 2019. 2,915 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSDark-colored wine, with smoky, bitter chocolate flavors: cocoa plus spice and jammy black plums. It’s powerful, densely textured, finishing with good acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WESmoky and fruity, with dark fruits and spices. Full body, chewy tannins, with an excellent core of fruit underneath it all. This needs time to mellow. Give it at least three or four years.James Suckling | 90 JS

I continue to love the 2008 Château Latour, unquestionably in the top handful of wines in the vintage. A rich, powerful blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, this ruby/purple-hued beauty boasts a classic Latour nose of blackcurrants, spice box, saddle leather, tobacco leaf, and cedar pencil. Deep, medium to full-bodied, and perfectly balanced, give it another 2-3 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy bottles over the following 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDExpressive fruit aromas and wood perfumes announce this wine. With 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a complex wine marked by purity of black fruits, berries, toast and tannins. It has power, richness and a lovely edge of spice to go with the acidity. The wine is firmly structured, while bursting with fruit and freshness.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEAn extraordinary wine, the classic 2008 Latour (13.5% natural alcohol) is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc (40% of the production made it into the grand vin). Its dense purple color is followed by hints of espresso roast, cassis, burning embers, truffles and graphite. Rich with full-bodied power, beautiful purity and graciousness allied to a voluminous, savory, broad mouthfeel, this beauty will be drinkable in 4-5 years and will keep for three decades.Robert Parker | 95+ RPA little subdued, as with the Lafite right now, but this is built to last and is layered and structured. Liquorice, cassis and blueberry notes take the lead, with a punch of tannic power and a crushed mint leaf finish. A classic Latour, starting to be ready to drink but sure to age for decades from here. A seductive smoke note appears with time in the glass. Harvest September 29 to October 14. 40% of overall production. (Drink between 2021-2042)Decanter | 95 DECGorgeous aromas. Sandalwood and flowers, so perfumed and beautiful. Spices and currants with cassis too. Amazing nose. Such beauty and density with an iron and pure fruit character. Solid and racy.James Suckling | 95 JSThis is dense and muscular, but balanced, with the flesh to offset the sinew, as pure mulled black currant, melted fig and crushed plum fruit is caressed by substantial but fine-grained structure. The long, iron- and tobacco-filled finish has excellent focus and drive. This could rival LLC for longest-lived wine of the vintage. Best from 2013 through 2022. 9,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2008 Latour is dark, brooding and virile, with huge tannins that convey an impression of gravitas. Grilled herbs, leather, sweet pipe tobacco, iron and cedar add to the wine’s distinctive aromatic complexity. There is plenty of density and richness, but the color and slightly advanced flavor profile are a bit out of character. Ideally, at this stage Latour should exhibit more freshness and vibrancy. Of course, it is possible the 2008 might remain at this plateau for many years to come. Time will tell. The blend is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and drops of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Since day one, I have loved the entire range of 2008s from Domaine Dujac and the Clos de la Roche is still showing beautiful potential as it starts to approach its tenth birthday. The wine has now moved into a stage where one can really sense what it will be like at maturity, with the first stirrings of secondary layers of complexity showing on both the nose and palate. The vibrant bouquet delivers scents of cherries, beetroot, mustard seed, coffee, still a touch of its youthful stems, gorgeous soil tones, woodsmoke and a discreet framing of spicy new wood. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, complex and tangy, with a lovely core of red fruit, excellent soil signature, fine-grained tannins and excellent length and grip on the vivid finish. To my palate, this is an utter classic in the making. (Drink between 2020-2050)John Gilman | 96 JGThe 2008 Clos de la Roche is particularly refined in this vintage. The wine literally floats on the palate with weightless elegance in its intensely perfumed fruit. Crushed flowers and red berries linger on the silky, impossibly fine finish. This is a fabulous effort from Dujac. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPhe 2008 Clos de la Roche is particularly refined in this vintage. The wine literally floats on the palate with weightless elegance in its intensely perfumed fruit. Crushed flowers and red berries linger on the silky, impossibly fine finish. This is a fabulous effort from Dujac.Vinous Media | 95 VMI’ve had mixed experiences with this wine as the bottle in the tasting was certainly very good but was displaying some secondary development on the nose while displaying a touch of backend dryness that was enough to cause concern. Score: 91/2028+. By contrast, a bottle tried in April 2016 was notably better and that note is: The airy, cool and relatively deeply pitched dark red berry fruit-suffused nose is cut with hints of stone, game and leather as well as a subtle but not invisible touch of wood. The detailed, robust and firmly muscular broad-shouldered flavors are still presently very backward, serious and superbly long on the mouth coating finish. The supporting tannins are quite prominent but the overall impression is a well-balanced effort that will require plenty of cellar time to realize its full, and considerable potential.Burghound | 94 BHModerate depth of colour. Some depth of evolving fruit and a touch of pepper. Quite tight on the palate stem-dry, still a good intensity behind but awkward. Tasted Jun 2018.Jasper Morris | 92 JM

The 2008 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts from Dujac is a magical beauty that’s drinking brilliantly today. Sporting a vivid ruby, translucent color, it offers an amazingly complex bouquet of sweet red fruits, green herbs, spring flowers, and layers of spice. The palate follows suit and is medium-bodied, incredibly seamless, and pure, with fine tannins. This incredibly classic Vosne-Romanée is drinking fabulously well today, with both fruit and complexity, yet will keep for another 10-15 years. It’s well worth seeking out.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2008 Vosne-Romanee Aux Malconsorts blossoms with endless layers of dark fruit. This is a totally sensual, enveloping wine graced with finesse, class and elegance. The Malconsorts is a pretty open 2008, but it will be even better in another few years’ time. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2028.This is a beautiful set of wines from Dujac. The harvest started on September 10 and ended on the 17th. Jeremy Seysses told me he wanted to pick on the early side in order to preserve freshness. In a similar vein, Seysses kept the fermentations short and gentle to avoid over-extracting. I also tasted a handful of 2008s, which are beautiful wines that are true to type and site. In 2008 the estate finished its conversion to fully organic farming originally started in 2001. Dujac fans have a lot to look forward to in these two vintages.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPMedium red. Knockout nose combines wild red berries, minerals and red licorice, lifted by ineffable notes of blood orange and rose petal. Very suave on entry, then intense and pure in the middle, at once taut and seamless. Superb energy to the raspberry, mineral and spice flavors. Downright thick for a 2008, saturating the entire palate on the back end and leaving the taste buds quivering. Finishes with suave tannins and outstanding length. A beauty.Vinous Media | 94 VM(Vosne-Romanée “Malconsorts”- Domaine Dujac) The 2008 Dujac Malconsorts is an absolutely complete and ethereal wine that is the epitome of Vosne-Romanée elegance and refinement. The nose is a stunning mélange of raspberries, cherries, raw cocoa, grouse, fabulously complex soil tones, spices, smoke and new oak. On the palate the wine is fullish, deep and very intensely flavored, with a svelte profile, a fine core of fruit, tangy acids and wonderful length and grip on the finely tannic and palate-staining finish. Wonderful Malconsorts. (Drink between 2017-2050).John Gilman | 94 JG(Domaine Dujac Vosne-Romanée "Malconsorts" 1er 1er Cru Red) This is less fine but more powerful and a bit more complex as well with a spicy mix of both blue and black pinot fruit cut with earth and herbal notes that precede the full, rich and very serious medium weight plus flavors that offer up a certain opulence on the mid-palate yet the gorgeously long finish is focused and classy. I very much like the dry extract level as it does a good job of buffering the firm tannins. (Drink starting 2023).Burghound | 93 BH

The 2008 Léoville Las Cases has a backward, broody, earthy bouquet with intense tobacco and graphite aromas, more like a Pauillac than a Saint Julien, no surprise given that it lies on the border. The palate is very impressive: layers of tobacco-tinged black fruit, sea salt and graphite. This is very precise and harmonious with a persistent and multi-layered finish that leaves you mightily impressed. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.)Vinous Media | 96 VM(Château Leoville Las Cases) The 2008 Leoville Las Cases is the finest wine that I have yet tasted from this great vintage and is destined to one day be ranked up at the very pinnacle of Michel Delon’s accomplishments during his tenure at the superb estate. I have recently tasted the 1982, 1986 and 1989 Leoville Las Cases, and there is little doubt in my mind that the 2008 will eventually eclipse those top flight vintages here, so this is a wine that fans of this estate should make every effort to secure before it disappears from the market. Wines like the 1982 and 1986 here share a sense of density that seems to come across as a slight flaw in hindsight, once one compares them to the seamless structure and effortless power of this young 2008 Las Cases. The bouquet is absolutely profound, as it soars from the glass in a classic blend of black cherries, cassis, tobacco leaf, a magically complex base of soil, French roast, a touch of violet and an utterly suave base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and stunningly transparent down to the soil, with a sappy core of fruit, flawless focus and balance, ripe, firm tannins, really lovely acidity and stunning grip on the very long, reserved and monumental finish. This is 13.4 percent alcohol- all natural- and it shows off the finest sense of focus, balance and signature of soil in a young vintage of Leoville Las Cases that I can ever recall. In fact, I have never tasted a vintage of Las Cases- young or old- that so beautifully embraced its terroir and translated it into the finished wine as the 2008. Stunning juice. (Drink between 2022-2100)John Gilman | 96+ JGAnother underrated vintage for this estate, the 2008 Léoville Las Cases is a vibrant, youthfully primary wine that’s aging at a slower pace than the 2009. Unfurling to reveal aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with subtle hints of pencil shavings and nicely integrated new oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, taut and layered, with tangy acids, ripe tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Displaying compelling purity and energy, it’s a serious Las Cases that will richly reward the patient but which is still some way away from its drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPOne of the most classic, regal wines in the vintage, the 2008 Léoville Las Cases is made from 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Merlot. Possessing an incredible Cabernet character in its graphite, crushed rocks, green tobacco, and crème de cassis-like fruit, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has integrated acidity, a deep, layered texture, and a distinct minerality and salinity on the finish. It’s just now at the early stages of its drink window, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it become one of the longest-lived wines in the vintage. It should hit prime time in another 4-5 years and keep for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDSuper racy and balanced. Masses of licorice and currants, intense aromas. Full and very silky with an intensity of fruit. Reminds me of the 1996. Best after 2015.James Suckling | 95 JSWith its superb tannins, the wine has a great solid core of structure. Over it is an edifice of direct black berry fruits, elegant texture and intense acidity. Impressive, a wine for aging.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is loaded for the vintage, with layer upon layer of crushed blackberry, fig paste and mulled black currant offset by smoldering tobacco, charcoal and anise notes. The finish is all iron and roasted earth for now, with the density to be among the longest-lived wines of the vintage. Best from 2013 through 2023. 14,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSFirm, rich tannins quietly declare their confidence - this is not yet at its real drinking window as the structure will require another five years to soften. The emphasis is clearly on the primary Cabernet, with an attack that focusses on cassis and the finish on menthol. This is Médoc personified, showing graphite notes, forest floor and tobacco, barely revving out of the gate. Drinking Window 2022 - 2038Decanter | 94 DEC

Like a stallion out of the gate, this shows an initial explosion of power, in the form of mouthwatering flavors and fine texture, before quickly settling into an elegant gait. The racy acidity is seamlessly knit, buoying the lacy mousse and flavors of cassis, toasted brioche and tangerine, with accents of candied ginger, hazelnut and fleur de sel lingering on the long, creamy finish. Drink now through 2035. 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2008 Champagne Rare is luxurious with aromas of graham cracker, honeysuckle, quince, and orange zest. It is round and opulent, with a fine and pillowy mousse, and retains freshness throughout, with apricot and yellow flowers. It is impressive and long, and fully luxurious. Drinking well now, it is sure to hold its own for years to come. Drink 2022-2044.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDA lively first nose of candied lemon, guava, also a hint of lime. With aeration, notes of almonds and almond flowers come to the fore. On the palate, there is a nervy tension that energises its fine, crystalline texture. This is an upright and elegant Champagne whose long, airy finish is mouthwatering. After some time in the glass, it evolves towards notes of smoke, flint and vanilla. A sumptuous Champagne. Disgorged: November 2019. Dosage: 9g/L. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECThe newly released 2008 Brut Cuvée Rare is very promising, unwinding in the glass with a youthfully reserved nose of citrus oil, crisp green apple, freshly baked bread, iodine and oyster shell, as well as some rather herbaceous characteristics that depress my score a little, even if I suspect that they will resolve with a bit more bottle age. Medium to full-bodied, incisive and tightly wound, if the 2006 vintage was gourmand and demonstrative, the 2008 is slower to show all its cards. Built around racy acids and complemented by a pillowy mousse, this rendition of Cuvée Rare will reward a few years more on cork.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

I was impressed by the 2008 Chateau Monbousquet. This wine had such a sexy, upfront personality on release, it’s easy to think it won’t age, but that’s not the case. Sporting a deep ruby/plum color as well as a full-bodied, ripe, sexy profile, it has lots of black cherries, chocolate, and spice-driven aromas and flavors. With terrific purity, ripe tannins, and a great finish, it’s a winner, and should easily keep for another decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis sexy, beautiful wine has the same potency (14% alcohol) as the 2010, which is surprising given the difference in alcohol strengths in these two vintages. Soft, round and opulent, this sexy 2008 reveals lots of white chocolate, espresso roast, Christmas fruitcake, black currant and cherry characteristics in its flamboyant bouquet. Round, medium to full-bodied and lush, it can be enjoyed now and over the next decade. This is a sleeper of the vintage.Robert Parker | 92 RPLoads of sweet tobacco and cedar and dark fruits on the nose and palate. It’s open and very soft and silky. Lovely wine now. Delicious. And it will get much better with age. Try in three to four years.James Suckling | 91 JSBright, deep ruby-red. Musky aromas and flavors of cassis, blackberry, espresso and charcoal. Juicy and vibrant in the mouth, offering an attractive combination of sweetness of fruit and lively acidity. Plenty of oak throughout but maintains good definition. Finishes broad and persistent, with solid structure. This can be drunk or held.Vinous Media | 91 VMA dark, toasty style, with lush espresso, melted fig and currant paste notes that glide over ample but velvety tannins. Polished and modern, with nice depth on the finish. Best from 2013 through 2018. 5,830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The 2008 Liger-Belair Reignots is flat out stunning and I am not sure I would not prefer to have the ’08 in my cellar rather than the more flamboyant ’09 (though of course, it would be better to have both)! The bouquet is deep, pure and magically complex, as it offers up scents of black cherries, black raspberries, a touch of bonfire, duck, wonderfully complex soil tones, a bit of citrus zest and a deft framing of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and elegant, with great bounce and focus, a superb core of fruit, moderate tannins and outstanding length and grip on the dancing finish. This is a great, great premier cru in the making. (Drink between 2018 - 2050)John Gilman | 95 JGTasted at the Comte Liger-Belair vertical at the Château de Vosne. The 2008 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Reignots does not quite possess the same delineation and poise on the nose as the 2007, which comes as some surprise. Touches of cooked meat come through and later an attractive sea spray scent. The palate is medium-bodied with a rounded, savory entry. This is quite animally and gamy, the acidity nicely judged with a little chewiness toward the finish. Give this 2-3 more years in the cellar. Tasted June 2015.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPGood deep red. Black raspberry, licorice, game and a whiff of soil on the very deep nose. Dense and thick--even plump--in the mouth, with superb concentration to the youthful flavors of dark berries and black cherry. Already remarkably round, savory and lush. Perhaps most impressive today on the very long, suavely tannic finish, which boasts terrific echoing lift and mineral precision. From a crop level of just 24 hectoliters per hectare, according to Louis-Michel Liger-BelairVinous Media | 93+ VMThe most elegant and coolest of these Vosne 1ers with a plum, violet, rose petal and anise suffused nose that gracefully introduces the detailed, intense and highly refined middle weight flavors brimming with an almost pungent minerality before culminating in a seductively mouth coating and strikingly long finish. Reference standard Reignots.Burghound | 93 BH

A prestige cuvée I have struggled with for a while, a number of vintages being rather blowsy. This release shows a bit more restraint on the nose, flowery Chardonnay dominating. Aromas of lime-citrus dance across the palate, the Pinot Noir provides the structure and support for the Chardonnay top notes. An excellent Belle Epoque that has plenty in the tank, I would wait another few years before broaching a bottle. Slightly introverted in magnum (but with better finesse), we really need to wait for some generosity and complexity in this format (scores an extra point). Drink 2028 onwards. Tasted May 2020.Jasper Morris | 96 JMThis finely knit and lithe Champagne is smoky up front, opening into a lovely range of pastry, glazed apricot, lemon curd and candied ginger notes in the glass. Vibrant acidity drives the satinlike finish. Drink now through 2030. 10,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSPerrier Jouët Belle Epoque 2008 reminds me somewhat of the grace of the exceptional 1995, Cellarmaster Hervé Deschamps’ first solo vintage and still one of his best. Though the two vintages 13 years apart share the same grace and class, the 2008 is more mineral, reflecting a quite sunless summer season. Only the return of warmer weather at the start of September imbued the vintage with a freshness of great Chardonnay in tune with the subtly restrained power of Pinot Noir and a soupçon of rounded Meunier – that final little touch making the wine more pleasurable to drink soon, unlike other wines from the Champagne 2008 vintage, which need a lot more time. Chardonnay is from Cramant, Avize, and Mesnil, Pinot Noir from Ay and Ambonnay in the Montagne de Reims, and Pinot Meunier from Dizy. Shimmering pale gold with green lights, radiant clarity; persistent tiny bubbles: riot of white flowers scents, hawthorn, then more stone-fruit than citrus, reine claude (greengage) and elderflower. Vibrant mouthfeel, invigorating, expansive – perfect with saline fruits de mer.Decanter | 93 DECA strong Belle Epoque from 2008, this has an almost sultry air about it with deeply spicy glacé stone fruits and fresh bready notes. The palate has sleek, composed and well-weighted fruit and acid balance. Stone fruit pastry flavors run even and hold well into the finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSThe latest release in this series of wines with its Belle Epoque bottle is, as always, a blend dominated by Chardonnay. So although the dosage is relatively high, that is balanced by fine acidity and minerality. It is a stylish wine, ripe and with the maturity to drink now.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

It is my distinct impression that the Rousseau Charmes-Chambertin does especially well in high acid vintages such as 2008, and the wine is one of the best examples of this wine that I have tasted in twenty years of tasting the Rousseau wines out of barrel. The bouquet offers up a terrific mélange of fraises des bois, sappy cherries, blood orange, cocoa, a touch of meatiness and a great base of minerality. On the palate the wine is medium-full, long and intensely flavored, with a fine core of fruit, bright acids, moderate tannins and lovely focus and soil drive on the long and tangy finish. A superb vintage of Rousseau Charmes. (Drink between 2016 - 2040)John Gilman | 92+ JGThis is turning out a bit better than I imagined it might with its fresh and pretty red berry fruit nose that presently displays only a trace of secondary character along with hints of earth and the sauvage. I like the vibrancy of the nicely intense medium weight flavors that are focused if not especially concentrated, all wrapped in a bright, clean and lingering finale. For my taste this hasn’t quite yet arrived at its apogee but it’s not so far away that it couldn’t be enjoyed now.Burghound | 91 BH