Wine Ratings

wines

The 1988 is a backward-styled Yquem, built along the lines of the extraordinary 1975. With a honeyed, smoky, orange/coconut/pineapple-scented nose, this powerful wine possesses full body, layers of highly concentrated, extracted flavors, considerable botrytis, and a sensational finish. Last tasted 12/97.Robert Parker | 99 RPThe 1988 Yquem is a vintage that I have drunk with enormous pleasure on numerous occasions. This last bottle was the perfect ending to a horizontal of 1988 Roumier wines at Noizé. It was a late harvest that lasted until All Saints Day (1 November). A total of 6 tries were necessary through the vineyard, each gifting plenty of botrytised fruit. Deep amber in hue, it offers wonderful aromas of mandarin, orange blossom, wax resin and a light adhesive scent. I was actually quite taken aback but the splendid delineation and life-affirming vitality of this example, hints of crème brûlée interwoven through the honeyed fruit, Clementine and hints of caramelised pear. It fans out wonderfully on the finish. Without doubt, this was the best bottle of 1988 Yquem that I have encountered.Vinous Media | 96 VMBroad and soft, with creamed apricot, mango, date, honey, caramel and marzipan notes, all framed by toasted brioche and musk accents. The flattering finish lets orange curd and flan details glide through. A touch shy on tension, but shows lovely range.—Non-blind Yquem vertical (July 2014). Drink now through 2030. 6,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Château d’Yquem (Sauternes)) This particular bottle of ’88 Yquem was drunk at a big event at Château Cheval Blanc a few years ago and I wondered at the time if it was a slightly advanced bottle. The wine was already fairly dark in color for the vintage and offered up an almost tertiary bouquet of orange peel, crème brulée, honey, apricot, almonds, a lovely and complex base of soil tones and buttery new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, complex and surprisingly evolved for Yquem from a good, racy vintage like 1988, with a deep core, modest acids and very good length and grip on the finish. This was so stunning in its youth that I have to believe that this bottle was somehow a bit forward. (Drink between 2012-2045)John Gilman | 90+ JG

This is a floral and elegantly complex edition of this wine with dried meat and leather, iron and graphite, tobacco and dry spices. More elegant palate than the 1990, it has a very fine stream of red fruit and spiced cherries and a central, linear focus. The flavors hold so very long, deeply concentrated and focused. The fruit livens up at the finish and opens very impressively. Drink now.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 1989 is inkier/purple in color than the 1990, with an extraordinarily sweet, rich personality offering up notes of smoke, melted licorice, black cherries, Asian spices, and cassis. Full-bodied and concentrated, it is one of the most powerful as well as highly extracted Beaucastels I have ever tasted. It requires another 3-4 years to reach its plateau of maturity, where it should remain for at least two decades. (Many purchasers have reported bottle leakage (due to a cork problem) with this vintage. I purchased two cases of this wine, but none of my bottles reveal any sign of leakage. A good friend of mine, Dr. Jay Miller, owner of Bin 604 Wine Sellers in Baltimore, has consistently had a problem with “corked” bottles of the 1989, but no leakage.)Robert Parker | 97 RPPerhaps the greatest Beaucastel ever produced. Has the class and structure of a great vintage of Mouton-Rothschild. Deep, inky in color, with intense herb, plum, game and spice aromas, this full-bodied wine has an explosion of fruit and an iron backbone. Try the beginning of next century.--Châteauneuf-du-Pape retrospective. Best from 1995 through 2005. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an awesome wine with the usual Beaucastel meat, earth and game notes backed up by ripe, clean dark fruit aromas. The palate is stunning and shows considerable structure and a precise, almost angular character. Much more structured and precise in the mouth than the 1990, this has a long, beautiful finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JD(Châteauneuf du Pape- Château Beaucastel) I have always been a fan of the 1989 Château Beaucastel, which I rank just behind the superb 1981 at this fine estate. The most recent bottle I tasted of this wine was still just a touch youthful, but offered up fine complexity on both the nose and palate and shows excellent promise. The bouquet is a blend of roasted fruitcake, cherries, new leather, venison, incipient notes of sous bois, woodsmoke and hot stones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with a bit of tannin still to resolve, fine focus and grip and a very long, classy and slightly chewy finish. I would be tempted to give this wine a few more years to really resolve, as it will be a superb wine and it would be most enjoyable to drink it at the same plateau that the 1981 has been enjoying for a good decade already. (Drink between 2015-2050).John Gilman | 93+ JG

1990: An extraordinary effort, Yquem’s 1990 is a rich and fabulously superb, sweet wine. This wine also possesses lots of elegance and finesse. The wine’s medium gold color is accompanied by an exceptionally sweet nose of honeyed tropical fruits, peaches, coconut, and apricots. High quality, subtle toasty oak is well-integrated. The wine is massive on the palate, with layers of intensely ripe botrytis-tinged, exceptionally sweet fruit. Surprisingly well-integrated acidity, and a seamless, full-bodied power and richness have created a wine of remarkable harmony and purity. Certainly it is one of the richest Yquems I have ever tasted, with 50-100 years of potential longevity. An awesome Yquem! Anticipated maturity: 2003-2050+.Robert Parker | 99 RPHard to contain this wine within the contours of the glass - this is exuberant, concentrated and luscious. Full of blood orange, nectarine, saffron, touches of caramelised ginger, truffle and crème brûlée. A see-saw of zesty acidity and luscious sweetness, this is a beautiful wine that still has decades ahead of it. Owned by the Lur Saluces family at the time, clearly showing why Yquem stands in its own category in the appellation. Drinking Window 2021 - 2050.Decanter | 98 DECTruly superb. Yellow with a gold hue. Intense spice, honey and dried orange peel aromas.Full-bodied, very sweet and very alive. Vibrant Sauternes that goes on and on on the palate. Doesn’t get much better than this. Beautiful now,but wait.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 18,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSFull-blown aromas of caramel, toffee, honey, white chocolate and damp earth; slightly Tokaj-like. Hugely concentrated and layered in the mouth; extraordinary sweetness cut by harmonious acidity. As with the best vintages of Yquem, the finish goes on for a minute or more. Stains, and stuns, the palate. A huge wine, surprisingly extravagant on the nose (earlier bottles have been far more restrained) but completely unevolved and a bit musclebound on the palate. May ultimately merit a higher score.Vinous Media | 94+ VM

The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve (15.5% alcohol; 100% Grenache) is a wine of magnificent intensity as well as majestic texture and richness. Layers of concentrated fruit cascade over the palate. Opaque purple-colored and extremely full-bodied, with a gorgeous nose of minerals, white flowers, black fruits, pepper, and garrigue, this sumptuous, seamless 2000 Chateauneuf must be tasted to be believed. I have had this wine a half dozen times in blind tastings that included some of the finest 2000 Chateauneuf du Papes, and it consistently ranks as one of the top 2 or 3 wines in the tastings. Then again, I'm looking at its overall potential as it is not the most forward or evolved of the 2000 Chateauneuf du Papes. It is a magnificent tour de force in winemaking. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.Robert Parker | 99 RP

No written review provided. | 95 W&S(Châteauneuf du Pape- Château Rayas) The 2001 vintage of Château Rayas is one of the most youthful examples of this vintage in Châteauneuf du Pape that I have tasted in recent times and the wine still needs another five years of cellaring to really start to blossom. The youthful nose delivers scents of cherry, raspberry, fruitcake, Christmas spices, pepper, soil and a topnote of bonfires. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, ripe and soil-driven, with a rock solid core, moderate tannins and fine length and grip on the nascently complex finish. This will be an outstanding vintage of Rayas with a bit more bottle age, but even with extended decanting, the wine is still too young and bound up in its structure for primetime drinking. (Drink between 2021-2060).John Gilman | 93 JGThe 2001 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape is more structured and slightly deeper ruby-colored than the light-colored 2000. It also possesses more acidity as well as depth. This terroir-driven effort reveals aromas of raspberries and sweet kirsch as well as a medium-bodied, vigorously fresh, lively style. There is also good flavor authority. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and consume it over the following 15.Robert Parker | 92 RPMedium red. Nose initially dominated by meat, toasted nuts and orange peel; showed a lively raspberry aroma with aeration. Tight, dense and peppery on entry, then lush and silky in the middle palate, with strong pepper and spice notes. Less fruity in its youth than the Pignan, and considerably less showy. But this really coats the palate and lingers on the back end. Will require a good eight to ten years of aging, but will it be a very good or a great Rayas?Vinous Media | 91 VMThis vintage has not expanded as the great Rayas vintages do, but it has held steady, with supple notes of cherry compote, red licorice, shiso leaf and sandalwood, all laced with a hint of bay leaf. Keeps the house style, but doesn't show quite the depth of the more recent vintages, since Emmanuel Reynaud got rolling.—2001 Châteauneuf-du-Pape non-blind retrospective (November 2011). Drink now through 2016. 1,830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Unfortunately there is only one new release from Dom Perignon on the market, but what a wine it is! The 2002 Brut Rose explodes from the glass with endless layers of huge, voluptuous fruit, A big, full-bodied wine, the 2002 is probably the most overly vinous, intense Rose ever made by long-time Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy. Layers of cool, insistent minerality balance the fruit beautifully on the crystalline, vivid finish. The 2002 will be nearly impossible to resist young, but take my word for it; the wine is extremely closed right now. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2032.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2002 Dom Pérignon Rosé is a tremendous example of this vintage at its very best. A Champagne of vertical thrust and intensity, the 2002 is rich, opulent and hedonistic from the very first taste. Readers should expect a Rosé built on a huge core of fruit. Rose petal, passion fruit and exotic flowers add shades of dimension to the wine’s decidedly flamboyant personality. What a wine!Vinous Media | 98 VMExtraordinarily powerful yet astonishingly beautifully constructed, the 2002 rosé is subtly different to its siblings, yet still seamless of architecture and impressive of length. Beyond the herbs and mellow autumnal berries there’s salinity at the back of the mouth. It’s perhaps a little unexpected from a rosé, but undeniably adds further layers to an already multi-faceted persona. Youthful yet wise beyond its years, this makes a wonderful pairing with the final wine, the 1990 P2 rosé. Drink with the most lavish crustacean dishes. Served from magnum. Drinking Window 2019 - 2040.Decanter | 97 DEC(Moët & Chandon Brut - Dom Perignon Rosé (magnum) Rosé) As it often is, this is quite aromatically discreet with its elegant and beautifully layered blend of soft yeast, cherry, raspberry, apple and rose petal. The still tightly coiled, intense and beautifully textured medium weight flavors possess an extremely fine effervescence before terminating in a clean, delineated and sneaky long finish that is markedly dry but not really austere. While the 750 ml version is drinking perfectly well now, in magnum format this striking beauty could still benefit from a few more years of keeping. (Drink starting 2027).Burghound | 95 BH

The 2003 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape has gone from strength to strength and now looks to be the finest vintage since the monumental 1995. Deep ruby to the rim with that classic Rayas nose of flowers, kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, crushed rocks, and minerals, the wine is dense and concentrated, with a broad, savory mouthfeel, sweet yet silky tannin, fabulous persistence, and a blockbuster finish that just goes on and on. This is a reassuringly profound Rayas that seems to suggest that Emmanuel Reynaud has finally figured out this cold-climate terroir in a warm climate appellation. This wine should be given 3-4 years of bottle age, and drunk over the following 20+ years.Robert Parker | 95 RPSilky and perfumed as well as not showing any of the over-ripeness of the vintage, the 2003 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve possesses beautiful aromatics of kirsch, black tea, garrigue, and green peppercorn that are wrapped around loads of sweet Grenache fruit. Perhaps less intense than other top vintages of this wine, it still shows the telltale Rayas aromatic profile. Medium to full bodied on the palate, the wine is stunningly textured, well balanced and fresh, firming up nicely on the finish with subtle tannin and good energy. Drinking well now, I see nothing that would keep this from continuing to deliver over the next 10 to 15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDLovely perfume, with tightly woven red and black cherry, graphite, incense, mineral and sous bois notes that stay fresh and focused thanks to finely imbedded acidity. Stylish finish. Drink now through 2025. 1,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

No written review provided. | 99 RPDoesn’t give much on the nose, with subtle lemon, honey, tangerine and apricot. Full-bodied and very sweet, with a long finish. Thick and compacted, with loads of mango and sweet candied fruit. Best after 2010. 150 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Saturated ruby. Remarkably deep nose combines cherry, raspberry, licorice, smoked meat and mineral notes, all lifted by an intense floral quality. A stunning example of freshness and precision married to power, with deep cassis, bitter cherry and candied licorice flavors enlivened by zesty minerality and framed by firm but harmonious tannins. "This is not about extraction," notes Perrin. The endless finish echoes the mineral and floral tones, showing a persistent lavender note. This was not yet bottled when I tasted it.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMA powerful, modern style, delivering a torrent of cassis and cocoa notes backed by a second wave of tar and fig paste. Densely structured from start to finish, with floral and mineral hints in the background. Pure and driven, this is steel-plated for the long haul. 60 percent Mourvèdre, with Grenache, Syrah and Counoise. Best from 2008 through 2027. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2004 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage À Jacques Perrin continues to show well, and was even more open from this bottle than from one earlier this year. While still youthful, it has beautiful complexity and depth on the palate, and certainly offers plenty of pleasure. Dark fruits, spice, cured meats, truffle and licorice all flow nicely to a full-bodied, concentrated, lively feel on the palate. It has bright acidity and fine tannin, and while it will never have the sheer decadence of a bigger year, it shines for its complexity, elegance and length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPShowing beautifully (as are most wines from this vintage), the 2004 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is reminiscent of the 1994, 1995, and 1999, as it relies more on complexity, elegance, and length than sheer richness and depth. Blackcurrants, cured meats, black truffle, licorice, and peppery garrigue notes all emerge from this full-bodied, rich, concentrated effort that has the higher acidity of the vintage, yet backs it up with beautiful fruit. It’s going to continue drinking nicely for another 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDAromatically speaking this isn’t quite as detailed and precise as most other vintages of Hommage, but there is plenty of squished blackberry fruit among polished wood and beeswax notes. It’s only medium-bodied on the palate, but then builds on the finish. Still plenty of slightly drying tannin, 2004 is a very tannic Hommage. The alcohol sticks out a bit, so not the most harmonious year; it feels a bit unsure of itself at this stage. I would give it another couple of years, it can’t do any harm. Drinking Window 2022 - 2036Decanter | 94 DEC(Châteauneuf du Pape “Hommage à Jacques Perrin”- Château de Beaucastel) Interestingly, the 2004 Hommage à Jacques Perrin is another full point lower in alcohol than the 2005, coming in at 13.5 percent octane. The wine is a step up in complexity on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet wafting from the glass in a still youthful blend of cassis, leather, licorice, tree bark, dark soil tones, cedar and a topnote of cigar smoke. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, nascently complex and ripely tannic, with a fine core, good structure and the first vintage in this series that shows some serious soil signature on the long finish. Good juice and much more in keeping with the high reputation of this bottling. (Drink between 2022-2040)John Gilman | 93 JG

Disgorged in 2012 after eight years sur lattes, the 2004 Brut Alexandra Grande Cuvée Rosé has really begun to develop some complexity after seven years on cork. Salmon-pink in hue, the wine wafts from the glass with a beautiful bouquet of blood orange, iodine, dried rose petals, aromatic bitters and tangerine. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, pure and racy, with a delicate pinpoint mousse, good concentration at the core and a long, saline finish. Readers who have had the foresight to cellar a few bottles should pop a cork or two, as this rosé is showing brilliantly.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPAromas of peaches and light cherries with rust and hints of grapefruit. Earth and spice undertone. Full-bodied, fruity and spicy. Hints of black pepper. Extremely bright and creamy texture. Delicious and delicate finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 95 JSFirst produced in the 1987 vintage to celebrate the marriage of owner Bernard de Nonancourt’s eldest daughter, this bottling is now mature. Ripe, it still retains plenty of red fruits while also allowing the toasty character to show through. It’s a rosé that calls for food, a rich and balanced wine that is just perfect to drink now.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE(80% pinot noir and 20% chardonnay): Light, bright orange-pink. High-pitched red berry, orange zest and floral scents are underscored by an intense mineral nuance. Taut, linear and strikingly pure, offering deeply concentrated redcurrant and strawberry scents and hints of allspice, smoky lees and jasmine. Powerful yet lithe rose with superb finishing power, focus and mineral-driven persistence.Vinous Media | 94 VMAromatic notes of smoke and mineral herald this rich rosé Champagne, leading to a finely meshed mix of dried white cherry, toasted almond, spring forest and orange peel, carried on a soft, pearled bead. Fresh, with lightly mouthwatering acidity firming the fruitcake-laced finish. Drink now through 2029. 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA luscious Champagne, this bristles with tight red raspberry and fresh floral notes. The flavors last with finesse, a sophisticated integration achieved through macerating Pinot Noir (80 percent) and Chardonnay together, allowing the skins of the Pinot Noir to bleed their color into the juice. Chef de cave Michel Fauconnet produces this wine only in top vintages, when the varieties ripen at the same time.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&S

The 2004 is the new release of Laurence Ployez’s Liesse d’Harbonville bottling. The wine is crafted this year from roughly seventy percent chardonnay and thirty percent red grapes, with the red grapes being equally split between pinot noir and pinot meunier in this vintage. All of the vins clairs were barrel-fermented and did not go through malolactic fermentation, as is customary for this bottling. It was disgorged in March of 2021 after nearly sixteen years aging on its fine lees. The bouquet is deep, refined and complex, wafting from the glass in a blend of apple, pear, brioche, just a hint of hazelnut, a complex base of chalky soil tones, a discreet touch of smokiness and a very understated framing of oak. On the palate the wine is vibrant, focused and full-bodied, with beautiful depth at the core, superb soil signature and cut, a lovely girdle of acidity, elegant mousse and a very long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. This is a great bottle of Champagne that is just starting to drink nicely and has decades of life ahead of it, with its apogee still at least ten years in the future. It is not quite as powerful in personality as the 2002 Liesse d’Harbonville, but perhaps even a tad more elegant in profile. In fact, it strikes me as the most refined young release of Liesse d’Harbonville that I have had the pleasure to taste and may well be my favorite vintage yet of this superb Tête de Cuvée. Like all releases of this wine, it is built to age long and gracefully and it is still very early days for the 2004 Liesse, but it is so beautifully balanced that it is already a great joy to drink. (Drink between 2023 - 2075)John Gilman | 96+ JGMinerally and linear in style, with the finely detailed mousse offering textural finesse as it carries well-meshed flavors of crunchy white peach and raspberry fruit, blanched almond and pink grapefruit zest. Mouthwatering finish. Disgorged October 2019. Drink now through 2029. 3,000 cases made, 125 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This is so creamy, almost milky in feel, with toasted coconut and cashew notes giving way to sweet peach, apricot and glazed pear flavors that glide along, while ginger, green tea, lychee and kumquat flavors extend through the finish. Shows terrific range and definition. Feels like it’s just starting to open, and is in no rush. Drink now through 2035. 2,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSTasted blind at the 10-Year On Tasting in Sauternes. The 2005 Château de Fargues has a rich and intense bouquet with layers of honey, dried peach, beeswax and acacia that soar from the glass. The palate is powerful and authoritative: intense botrytis-rich honeyed fruit with compelling mineralité underneath. It fans out in glorious fashion – a stunning de Fargues that is now beginning to show its talents. As I remarked a couple of years ago, just afford it a couple more years so that it can fully absorb the vestiges of oak.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 95 RP-NMThe nose is sumptuous but still conspicuously oaky, though the oak doesn’t suppress the lovely apricot fruit. Indeed it confers aromatic elegance. Very sweet and intense on the palate, this is creamy and concentrated, with excellent purity of fruit, but a lively acidity, which gives the wine its finesse. Well balanced. Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 93 DECMedium yellow. Exotic, high-toned apricot, spices and flowers on the nose, complemented by coconutty, toasty oak. Very sweet and unctuous, with exotic, nobly rotten flavors of pineapple, apricot and coconut and an impression of elevated alcohol. Not quite as racy, fruity or structured as the 2007; conveys an impression of softer acidity, and yet this maintains a light touch. Finishes with suggestions of vanilla and marzipan.Vinous Media | 92 VMNo written review provided. | 92 W&S

A stunning, profound wine, the 2005 Les Cailloux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire, a blend of 80% Grenache and the rest a mix of Mourvèdre and Syrah, delivers spectacular aromatics of kirsch, garrigue, roasted meats, and licorice that soar from the glass. Absurdly perfumed, complex and a touch exotic on the nose, the wine is full bodied on the palate with a seamless, thick, sexy texture, perfect balance and a blockbuster finish that highlights silky tannin and decadent fruit. Surprisingly accessible (especially for the vintage), it will be interesting to see if this evolves along the same lines as the 1990 Cuvée Centenaire, which is drinking beautifully today and has lots of life left. I questioned both Andre Brunel and Philippe Cambie on this during my last tasting trip to Châteauneuf, and both stated that the ’90 showed similar at the same stage. If history is any guide, this should have a very long drink window. Regardless, a superb, benchmark wine that any southern Rhone lover should have in the cellar.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDRichly layered, with currant paste, Black Forest cake, espresso, mesquite, date and incense notes. Ripe and lush, this is far more supple than most of its 2005 peers. The finish is long and dense, but very silky, with lingering notes of macerated fruit and black tea. Drink now through 2025. 30 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSRuby-red. Potent red berry and kirsch on the nose, with exotic floral, mineral and game notes adding complexity. Seductively sweet, with deep but admirably focused flavors of raspberry, bitter cherry and blackcurrant. Supple tannins build through the finish. More closed than it was from barrel last year, but this wine possesses incredible depth and power, and picks up a remarkably seductive minerality with air. Don’t touch this for at least five more years.Vinous Media | 95+ VMThis is ’similar to the ’07 in terms of vintage, very warm,’ says Fabrice Brunel. In the glass it still looks very young, deeply ruby red. Aromatically it’s not the cleanest by today’s standards, a little animal hint, slightly roasted, with a touch of benevolent decay in the background. Rounded, generous and juicy. The alcohol is quite raised here. Not the most complex but warming and long on the finish.Decanter | 93 DECWhile bricking in hue, the 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire retains some attractive black-cherry fruit, joined by notes of caramel and licorice. Full-bodied, richly concentrated and textured, it finishes long and nuanced. Drink it over the next several years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Subtle yet complex aromas of lemon, spice, honey and dried apricot. Full-bodied and very, very intense, with loads of dried fruit and a long, spicy finish. Best after 2014. 2,080 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2005 Haut-Peyraguey is medium to deep straw-gold in color. It gives up pronounced notes of creme caramel, baked apples, and spice cake with hints of almond croissant and candied ginger. The palate delivers compelling freshness to the slowly maturing fruit, finishing long and lifted.The Wine Independent | 92 TWIA ripe, creamy wine, which has great poise and freshness. There’s just a touch of caramel, but the fruit—sweet apples and crisp pears—is dominant. A pure pleasure to taste.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

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

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

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

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

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

Impressively balanced, with the fruit rich, intense with a golden glow. The acidity is as important as the freshness, giving a delicious lift to the core of dry, concentrated botrytis. Obviously a great wine for long-term aging in a great Sauternes year. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEA blend of 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, with 139 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pH of 3.7, the 2008 Yquem is pale to medium gold in color. It leaps from the glass with vivacious notes of lemon marmalade, quince paste, and kiwi fruit, leading to suggestions of lemongrass, wet slate, almond croissant, and fallen leaves. The palate is completely coated with citrus and tropical fruit layers, supported by fantastic tension and a satiny texture, finishing long and electric.The Wine Independent | 97 TWIBright light gold. Ripe cling peach, fresh apricot, spices, coconut, minerals and white flowers on the nose, with a note of vanillin oak emerging with air; subdued but wonderfully pure and precise. At once thick and light on its feet, showing an utterly seamless texture and compelling sweetness but also lovely inner-mouth tension thanks to its suave acidity and underlying minerality. The new oak element is in harmony with the wine’s fruit already. Really dusts the palate on the back end and builds inexorably. The explosive finish leaves behind a perfumed spice character. The clear star in my 2008 tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2008 d’Yquem reveals a complex, elegant bouquet with aromas of pineapple, exotic fruits, quince and orchard fruits, followed by both a balanced and medium to full-bodied palate, seamless and layered texture and a penetrating, fresh and delicate finish. With 139 grams of residual sugar, this is a classic d’Yquem that has real potential to improve in the cellar over the next 10 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPBeautiful lemon cream, chamomile and fried pineapple notes, with a refreshing, almost floral edge running along as well. Creamy coconut and green plum notes fill in on the finish, which has admirable length. A restrained, lighter style, with lovely precision. Drink now through 2035. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Pale gold, the 2009 Climens offers up a fabulously fragrant nose of green tea, chamomile, powdered ginger, lemon marmalade and fallen leaves with suggestions of spice cake and preserved mandarin peel. The palate is super intense with vibrant, energetic fruit and layer upon layer of perfume and spice nuances, finishing very long and incredibly youthful.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPRich and opulent, but the Barsac terroir keeps it reined in. Exotic fruit notes, baked apple and confit fruit. Pure, velvety and unctuous but with a bite of citrus zest freshness coming in behind. Biodynamic estate. Drinking Window 2019 - 2050Decanter | 97 DECThe 2009 Climens has a clean and pure bouquet with honey and brioche aromas, like pure sunlight! The palate is fresh and crisp with superb botrytised fruit. Great tension and a dash of ginger and lemongrass spice up the detailed finish. This is a Climens that is only just beginning to demonstrate what is capable of. Bon vin! Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe superb palate boasts richness, with honey and orange zest notes. It shows fine balance between the flavors of orange jelly and the intense botrytis-driven notes. It has a light, delicate texture and acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WERounded and broad in feel for now, with richly layered toasted almond, ginger cream, brioche and glazed apple notes that all glide through the viscous finish, where a flash of green tea can be found. This has the buried zip for the long haul, which it will need to assimilate fully. There’s lots in reserve. Best from 2015 through 2034. 4,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 2009 Guiraud is one of the gems of Sauternes this vintage, one of the finest offerings in recent years. It has a wonderful, beautifully delineated bouquet with expressive scents of wild honey, orange pith, Seville orange marmalade and just a hint of pineapple. The palate is beautifully defined with pure botrytised fruit, supremely well balanced with a vivacious, ginger and white pepper tinged finish that lingers long in the mouth. Outstanding...Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is a bird of a different feather, with an exotic, vibrant aroma of toasted coconut, followed by an almond cream note that gives way to the core of green fig, papaya, Cavaillon melon and honey. There’s stunning richness and mouthfeel, with the power to be one of the longer-lived wines of the vintage. Very impressive. Best from 2015 through 2040. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 11,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSGorgeous aromas of dried apricots, apple pie crust and pineapple. Full-bodied, with medium sweetness. Dense and layered. Beautiful now but will improve with age. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSPale to medium gold colored, the 2009 Guiraud comes sashaying out of the glass with a wonderfully floral nose of jasmine and peach blossoms with an undercurrent of potpourri, dried mango, honey nut, baked pineapple and preserved ginger. The mouth is completely coated with concentrated baking spice and savory layers countering all the rich sweetness, finishing long and layered.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis is a smoky, rich wine that shows evident wood aging. This feature adds weight, though the sweetness is currently muted. It is a wine with potential intensity; the fruit and acidity will emerge in several years.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE(Château Guiraud (Sauternes)) The 2009 Guiraud is a terrific wine in the making, as it has perfectly captured the potential to make an elegant, refined and long-lived wine in this vintage. The bouquet is deep, complex and quite esthery in its mélange of bee pollen, pears, apples, delicate notes of pineapple, complex soil tones and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and shows great mid-palate depth, with bright acids, lovely, nascent complexity and outstanding length and grip on the elegant and focused finish. A superb Guiraud. (Drink between 2016-2040)John Gilman | 92-93 JG

The 2009 Raymond-Lafon has a slightly smudged bouquet although it gains clarity with time, offering pineapple and peach skin, lanolin and honeysuckle aromas. The palate is well balanced with a fresh entry, slightly edge thanks to the acidity with good concentration and persistence towards the tropical-tinged finish. Good potential. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMPale gold colored, the 2009 Raymond-Lafon gives compelling marmalade, honey nut, pineapple upside down cake and burnt sugar notes with wafts of petrol and paraffin wax. Opulent with savory undertones, the palate delivers loads of citrus fruit sparks among the richness, with a racy backbone and long, fruity finish. While showing some evolution, this still has plenty of cellaring potential.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPRich and intense, with dried pineapple, candied lemon peel and heather honey notes, followed by spice, crème brûlée and lemon meringue. The long, pure finish has great power and precision. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2013 through 2030. 3,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS