Wine Ratings

wines

Extremely young with an unbelievable deep purple color, the 2000 Troplong Mondot has hardly budged since I tasted it in 2003. Two recent tastings confirmed that this is the greatest Troplong Mondot between their profound 1990 and more recent vintages such as 2005, 2008, and 2009. Copious chocolate, graphite, blackberry, blueberry, cassis, and ink characteristics are present in this full-bodied, powerful, massive St.-Emilion. While the tannins are noticeable, they are better integrated than they were seven years ago, and the fruit, extract, and richness clearly outweigh the wine’s structure. This 2000 will benefit from another 4-5 years of cellaring (longer than I originally predicted), and has at least two decades of drinkability ahead of it.Robert Parker | 96 RPThe 2000 Troplong Mondot is another vintage that I have not tasted for a long time. This includes some Cabernet Sauvignon that was north-facing and subsequently removed for the 2001. The youthful bouquet of black cherries, cassis, marmalade and blood orange is vibrant and precocious and shows fewer secondary aromas than some of its peers. It opens nicely to reveal camphor and star anise aromas, almost Rhône-like. The palate is chewy, quite dense and backward but initially lacks a bit of charm. Licorice and sloes come through. Slightly granular in texture, it feels tight at first, but it deserves applause for its freshness and improves with aeration, loosening up and finally developing that missing charm.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review provided. | 93 W&SA soft, rich wine that bears all the classic qualities of the Valette family’s winery - a strength of line along and complexity. The fruit is ripe, ultra-generous, but is still tempered with layers of acidity and soft tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WELovely berry, cherry and spice, with hints of mineral. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a pretty mineral and berry aftertaste. A sexy and refined red. Best after 2009. 7,080 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

From magnum, a youthful colour, reflecting slow evolution. Aromas of cedar, lead pencil, roasted and primary fruit. Fine grained, noticeable tannin. Excellent balance of power and smooth texture. Noé Tesseron described it as ’older school Pauillac’, and I liked it a lot. Long finish. Aged 60% new oak. (Drink between 2021-2045)Decanter | 95 DECUpgraded in score over my original rating, which was several points lower, Alfred Tesseron has done a remarkable job since 1994 with Pontet-Canet, which has been hitting first-growth levels since 2003. But the 2000 also shows exceptionally well. In need of another decade of cellaring, this dense purple wine has a classic nose of incense, charcoal, creme de cassis, and subtle new oak. Full-bodied, powerful, still very tannic, and shockingly backward, this is a big, rich wine that has put on weight and seems to need more time than I originally predicted. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035+.Robert Parker | 94+ RPI drank this fabulous 2000 Pontet-Canet in Hong Kong last summer at home with family. It was a wonderfully complex wine that was really starting to show its best. On the nose it displayed tar and currants with hints of dried fruits and berries. It was full-bodied yet so refined and delicious at the same time.James Suckling | 94 JSDeep red-ruby. Explosive nose combines raspberry, roasted currant, grilled nuts and exotic spices. Rich, sexy, silky and full in the mouth, with expressive flavors of black raspberry, game, smoke and truffle. Finishes with strong but suave tannins and excellent length. St. JulienVinous Media | 93 VMA lovely lead-in of singed cedar and vanilla notes gives way to slightly taut, racy red and black currant fruit flavors that drive nicely through an iron-edged finish. Rather sleek and tightly focused, relying more on minerality than power.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 2,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThis is a very modern style of wine, with generous new wood and super-ripe fruit flavors, balancing with polished solid tannins. Very international in style, it is good, but could come from anywhere.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Under any new classification, this should certainly be a classed growth. Today it is among the leaders of the crus bourgeois. The 2000 is opulent, generous, stylish. The tannins are ripe and sweet, the fruit is finely balanced. It will develop well over the next 10-15 years.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEVery muscular with currants, mineral and nutmeg character. Full-bodied and chewy, with a long and lively finish. Best after 2008. 29,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Deep ruby/garnet-hued, the 2000 Château Valandraud is a beautifully complex, layered, and floral Saint-Emilion with darker currants, menthol, spice, herbs, chocolate, and graphite on the nose. On the palate, it’s rich and full-bodied, with a pure, layered, graceful mouthfeel, a terrific sense of freshness, fine tannins, and a great finish. Drink 2026-2036.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDTasted at the Valandraud vertical at the property, the 2000 Valandraud has a very dark color with just a thin crimson rim. The bouquet is exquisite: intense black cherry and blackcurrant scents, sandalwood, cedar and spices, complex and involving, the aromatics appear to just grow and grow. The palate is medium-bodied with supple red and black fruit, fine tannins and perfect acidity. It feels backward but very tensile with a flow of energy towards the precise and deeply impressive finish. This is an outstanding millennial Saint Emilion from Jean-Luc Thunévin. Tasted December 2016.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPNoticeably mature, with coffee, dark earth and roasted wood notes leading the way, while the core of black currant and dark plum fruit flavors is well-mulled. Though this sports a bit of a chewy, fleshy feel, everything pulls together through the finish, and this shows some serious length.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 1,417 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis has a fascinating coffee and chocolate character with a hazelnut edge. Full and velvety but turns a little austere. Bright acidity. Try after 2013.James Suckling | 93 JSSaturated ruby-red. Ripe, expressive aromas of black cherry, blackberry and espresso. Sweet, concentrated and quite perfumed in the mouth, with notes of oaky torrefaction currently dominating the wine’s dark fruit flavors. Distinctly powerful for Valandraud, and impressively long on the finish, with a sweet, chocolatey aftertaste. A sample of the same juice tasted just after the last racking showed more precision of aromas and more clarity in the mouth, with strong raspberry fruit to go with the smoky oak.Vinous Media | 91+ VM

A beautiful crushed rock/liqueur of minerality characterizes this inky/purple-hued St.-Emilion. Tannic, with lots of pure black raspberry and black cherry fruit intermixed with a notion of charcoal as well as the aforementioned rocky/powdered stone component, this long distance runner requires another 5-6 years of cellaring. It should age easily through 2030+.Robert Parker | 95+ RPThis is a beauty, with a really pure and still-youthful beam of plum, boysenberry and raspberry compote flavors streaming through, gilded with fruitcake and a hint of sweet cocoa, but ultimately carried by a long graphite spine. Rather open through the finish despite the youthful persona, and hard to resist now.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 4,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2000 Pavie-Macquin is opulent and intense, but also rather monolithic. I don’t expect that cellaring is going to make much of a difference. Dried cherry, leather, cedar, tobacco, menthol and licorice add a measure of nuance. I wanted more given the reputation of the year. In my view, the 2000 is too evolved for its age.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

My all-time favorite vintage of Tertre-Roteboeuf, the 2000 should age much more consistently than the rather irregular 1990 or the top-notch 1989. The 2005 should give it a run for its money down the road, but at present, this wine is performing fabulously well. It boasts a dense ruby/purple color along with notes of kirsch liqueur and licorice. This St.-Emilion could pass for a great Chateauneuf du Pape or top-notch Musigny, although it has more power and depth than a burgundy, and none of the peppery/garrigue characteristics of a Rhone. Nevertheless, there is a sweet character from the high glycerin level as I suspect the alcohol content exceeds 14%. Velvety textured and full-bodied, but surprisingly youthful, this stunningly rich wine can be drunk now, but promises to last another two decades.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2000 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is instantly captivating on the nose of gushing red cherries, crushed overripe strawberry, orange pith and violet scents, very Burgundy-like in terms of purity and very well defined. The palate is harmonious, sensual, silky-smooth and kept on an even keel by its fine acidity. Notes of allspice, black pepper and clove emerge. If I were to quibble, maybe it does not quite deliver the complexity you might anticipate on the finish, yet texturally this is an irresistible Saint-Émilion with grace and poise.Vinous Media | 95 VM

This wine is superb. With its power and structure it will age over 20 years or more. Backed by blackcurrant and jelly flavors, it shows great fruity attractiveness even at this early stage in its development. It will develop slowly and evenly to become a reference point for the vintage.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEI love the chocolate and blackberry character, with hints of cedar. Nicely perfumes. Full and very creamy, with soft tannins and a long finish. The tannins compliment the creamy texture perfectly, wait two more years to pull the cork. 2012.James Suckling | 94 JSThis elegant St.-Emilion has filled out nicely over the last decade. From barrel and post-bottling, I thought it might turn out austere, but that does not appear to be the case. It offers a deep ruby/purple color as well as copious aromas of black cherries, crushed rocks, and earthy undertones. While not a blockbuster, it is beautifully balanced and pure, revealing slightly more depth and richness than I expected. Drink it now and over the next 10-15 years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

Ripe, well-made, and slightly over-rated in my report written seven years ago, this 2000 exhibits lots of black currants, cherries, smoked herbs, and spice in a full-bodied, round, generous, fully mature style. Delicious at present, it should drink well for another 5-7 years.Robert Parker | 92 RPSubtle, yet rich. Refined, yet powerful. Full-bodied, with super silky tannins, yet it’s elegant and caressing. Joy to taste. Fantastic l’Oratoire. From the same people who bring you La Mondotte and Canon-La Gaffelière. Best after 2010. 3,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Still youthful and beautifully lush, with dark, velvety tannins that flow underneath, allowing the gorgeous plum sauce, blackberry reduction and anise notes to drape wonderfully before slowly giving way to a cast iron–edged finish.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 14,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA hugely concentrated wine showing chewy, but ripe tannins. Smooth, polished fruit combines with well-balanced wood and suppressed power. This is certainly a wine that will develop well, making it drinkable in five years and mature in 10-15 years.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEAmong the finest Cantenac-Browns of the last three decades, the saturated purple-colored 2000 is a sleeper of the vintage. Loaded with chocolatey black currants intermixed with sweet earth, cedar, and spice box, it exhibits medium to full body, surprisingly ripe tannin for a wine from this estate, a multi-layered texture as well as mid-palate, and a finish that lasts 25-30 seconds. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2018.Robert Parker | 90 RPNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

(Château Figeac (St. Émilion)) The 2000 Château Figeac is one of the strongest examples of the vintage I have tasted in quite some time. The wine remains youthful, but its promise is self-evident, as it delivers a refined aromatic constellation of black cherries, dark berries, cigar wrapper, a superb base of soil tones, a touch of youthful Figeac herb notes, smoky new oak and an exotic topnote of celery seed. On the palate the wine is deep, complex and full-bodied, with a superb core of fruit, lovely balance and grip, suave, buried tannins and a long, nascently complex and very, very promising finish. This is very elegant for an example of 2000 claret. (Drink between 2025-2075),John Gilman | 94 JGFigeac has become a more consistent wine over the last few years. A profound effort, the surprisingly full-bodied 2000 Figeac has an opaque purple color accompanied by a terrific bouquet of camphor, graphite, black currants, licorice, and smoked herbs. With well-balanced, powerful tannin, concentration, and pinpoint precision, finesse, and purity, this expressive as well as textured effort will drink well between 2004-2018. When Figeac hits on all cylinders, one can understand why some tasters believe it is as complex as Cheval Blanc. This is undeniably the estate’s finest effort since 1996.Robert Parker | 93 RPSpices, herbs, plums, and meat on the nose. Full and round, with soft tannins and a beautiful finish. Chocolate and fruit everywhere. Give this another two or three years. Pull the cork in 2013.James Suckling | 93 JSOvert rosemary, bay and tobacco notes lead the way, backed by dark fig and steeped black currant fruit flavors at the core. The finish is loamy-edged, with a serious tug of earth. There’s nice flesh and density here, though I like where this is now, rather than wanting to wait too much longer.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2020. 8,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2000 Figeac is similar to the bottle tasted at the château just three months earlier. Still a tad rustic on the nose with singed leather and earthenware infusing the red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, quite Left Bank in style, a little rough in texture with a slightly herbaceous finish. Maybe marginally better than the previous bottle, though it does nothing to dispel the idea that the 2001 is the better Figeac. Tasted at the Figeac vertical in Berlin.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Performing as I expected, but still several years away from full maturity, this extraordinarily flamboyant, full-bodied, opulent, sexy St. Emilion stood out for its backward structure and youthful personality. A dark plum/garnet hue is followed by a superb bouquet of roasted coffee, kirsch, blackberries, licorice, herbs, and forest floor. Full-bodied, dense, rich, and pure, it is a total hedonistic as well as intellectual turn-on. Enjoy it over the next decade.Robert Parker | 94 RPThis is the flagship wine from the mini-empire (now comprising five properties) that is controlled by Comte Stephan von Niepperg. He has made a modern, wood dominated wine, with rich, concentrated black fruits. It is powerful, perhaps too powerful, lacking a sense of the usual grace of this estate, although the ripeness of the wine does compensate.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2000 Canon-la-Gaffelière, aged in 90% new oak for 18 months without fining, is a vintage that I have had several times since tasting it from barrel. The nose has mellowed and softened in recent years, now offering mulberry, singed leather, tea leaf and just a hint of wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and plenty of red fruit, here laced with white pepper, tobacco and a touch of muskiness toward the finish. This was always impressive in its flush of youth and remains so in full maturity. I would drink bottles over the next 10 years.Vinous Media | 91 VMThis has nice vibrancy still, with redder notes of raspberry, cherry and red currant stretching out over cocoa-dusted structure, while warm fruitcake and licorice flavors underline the finish. Not quite as dense as the top examples, but pretty tasty.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2020. 5,415 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

This is very dense and rich now with sweet tobacco, dried berry and mahogany character. Full body with velvety tannins and a juicy finish. A long life ahead of it. Improving with age.James Suckling | 93 JSFully mature and complex, the 2000 Château Prieure-Lichine sports a garnet hue with a kiss of amber creeping in at the edges. Darker currants, ripe, smoky tobacco, menthol, and spicy leather nuances all emerge from the nose, and it’s medium-bodied on the palate, with a pure, focused, graceful mouthfeel and the tannins of the vintage. I think it’s drinking beautifully today yet see no reason it shouldn’t keep for another 15 years if well stored. Drink 2026-2041.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA solid young red, with big, velvety tannins and lots of ripe fruit, tobacco and chocolate character. Long, fresh finish. One of the best Prieuré-Lichine in a long, long time. Best after 2007. 18,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSUnder new ownership, Prieuré-Lichine continues its rapid quality improvement. The wine is concentrated, with dark tannins and brooding fruit, dominated by new wood. It is rich, but also structured for a steady development over 10-15 years.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEUndeniably the finest Prieure-Lichine in 30-40 years, this textured, rich, medium to full-bodied 2000 boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to a knock-out nose of black cherries, cassis, tobacco leaf, cocoa, and toasty oak in the background. The wine is sweet on the attack, full-bodied, and well-textured, with oodles of fruit and glycerin. This is sexy stuff that can be drunk early, but will age gracefully for 15-16 years. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2026.Robert Parker | 90 RP

Gerard Perse’s 2000 Pavie Decesse, a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc from a vineyard situated above Pavie, on the steep limestone hillsides outside the walled town of St.-Emilion, is a fabulous effort (all the Perse wines are stunning in this vintage). Notes of camphor, creme de cassis, violets, black currants, cedar, and licorice jump from the glass of this inky/purple-hued offering. Monumental richness, sensational sweet tannin, a skyscraper-like mid-palate, and a 45+-second finish result in an extraordinary wine that is just reaching its plateau of full maturity. It should last for another 20-25 years.Robert Parker | 96 RPVery ripe and powerful with spice, meat and walnut character. Full-bodied, deep and layered. Flamboyant and decadent. Long and flavorful finish.James Suckling | 95 JSExtremely ripe, almost raisiny, with lots of Indian spices and prunes that turn to tar. Full-bodied, with loads of fruit and velvety tannins that emphasize the richness of the year and the class of the soil. Best after 2009. 2,080 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSBright, deep ruby. Explosive aroma of roasted black cherry. Dense, highly concentrated and deep, with penetrating, palate-saturating flavors of blackberry and black cherry framed by firm underlying minerality. A wine of great force; despite its major ripeness, there's also a cool, medicinal aspect that's utterly refreshing. Finishes with big, broad tannins and outstanding length.Vinous Media | 93 VMWhile Pavie itself goes for super-opulence, Pavie-Decesse is more restrained, more classic. It has harmony and balance, allowing the deep, black fruits to rest easily with the dense tannins. This is a wine which will age well, gracefully over 10 years and more.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Approaching perfection, this wine is inky, bluish/purple-colored to the rim, offering up notes of incense, blueberry and blackberry liqueur, licorice, graphite and spring flowers. A touch of roasted espresso bean is also present. The wine has great concentration, a magnificent, full-bodied mouthfeel, stunning purity, and well-integrated acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood. This beauty seems to be in mid-adolescence with at least 25-30 years of life ahead.Robert Parker | 99 RPOut of this world. Incredible aromas of crushed blackberries and cherries, with wet earth, mineral and mint. Full-bodied, with fantastically refined, silky tannins and a long, long finish. Terrific. Greatest Angelus I have ever tasted. Best after 2010. 7,080 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSFurnished with wonderful richness, this has notes of amazingly dark fruit and dark chocolate on the nose. Full-bodied and soft, this has a lovely velvety texture and a chocolate and coffee character. This is extensive and fresh, with hints of mint and spice on the finish. Don’t drink this for another five years, pull the cork in 2015.James Suckling | 95 JSNo written review provided | 95 W&SImpressive saturated ruby. Black fruits, shoe polish, licorice, truffle, leather and a hint of game on the nose; at once superripe and fresh. Fat, sweet and deep, but retains lovely inner-mouth aromatic character and precision of flavor for such a rich wine, thanks to sound acidity. Effortlessly carries its 14% alcohol. This builds impressively on the back end, finishing with strong but lush tannins (the index of polyphenols was 92!) and powerful fruit. This wine was racked a total of three times.Vinous Media | 93 VM

This shows some noticeable maturity at first, with black tea and mulling spice notes out front, but there’s a lovely spine of briary tannins and finely beaded acidity that pulls this back to a fresher side as the core of raspberry pâte de fruit slowly wakes up, throwing off additional cherry, currant and plum nuances. By the time this all knits through the finish, you realize it’s just a bit too soon to open this beauty. Best from 2020 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA major vintage, where the tough spring gave way to a beautiful summer. Here it’s the Cabernet Franc that’s dominant, giving lift and aromatic complexity that seems to take a hold as it rolls through the palate. Raspberry leaf, blackcurrant and liquorice are all dominant. It’s still extremely young, so you can take your time opening any bottles that you have of this beautiful wine. Drinking Window 2018 - 2030.Decanter | 96 DECA gorgeous wine of grace, elegance, and power, this youthful 2000 will benefit from another five years of cellaring. It appears to have 25 more years of life ahead of it. A deep ruby/purple color is just beginning to lighten at the edges. The bouquet offers up scents of cedar wood, melted licorice, black currants, blackberries, caramel, and mocha. Medium to full-bodied, elegant, and pure with low acidity as well as formidable tannins in the long finish, the 2000 should rival vintages such as 2005, 2006, and 2009.Robert Parker | 95 RPI am really loving the nose here, sweet ripe fruit, raspberries and strawberries, and flowers. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and great freshness on the long finish. This is starting to open up now, this is pure and precise with just a hint of fresh herb showing the Cabernet Franc character. This still needs five years. Pull the cork after 2015.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2000 Vieux-Château-Certan is a Pomerol that I had not encountered for some time. Perhaps this vintage has lost some of its initial luster, not least because the consensus from winemakers and consumers alike is that the appellation performed far better in 2001. This millennial VCC has a saturnine nose even after almost two decades, offering dusky black fruit, hints of chimney soot and tobacco, and later a whiff of licorice. It remains stubborn and sultry. The palate is quite muscular for a VCC, although fine acidity lends it tension. Where one might criticize Alexandre Thienpont’s wine for its lack of refinement and panache, for failing to realize the potential it showed during its first decade. As such, I would afford it another three or four years in bottle to see if it brightens up.Vinous Media | 92 VM(Vieux-Château-Certan (Pomerol)) The 2000 vintage of Vieux-Château-Certan is quite shut down at the present time and is not too interested in being bothered during its hibernation. It may end up being in the same league as the 2000 Figeac, but for the moment, it is hard to see all of its facets, as it is compacted down on itself and rather grumpy. With some extended aeration, the wine reluctantly offers up scents of dark berries, cassis, cigar ash, a fine base of dark soil tones and a bit of nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and plenty structured, with a rock solid core, firm, well-integrated tannins and good length and grip on the well-balanced finish. It is possible that this wine will end up being even better than I predict, as it is sleeping deeply at the moment, but it seems to me that this may well be one of those wines from 2000 that never quite sheds the more sullen side of the vintage. Time will tell. (Drink between 2030-2085).John Gilman | 92+ JG

Incredible concentration and richness in this wine. This is good stuff, loads of complexity with notes of flowers, vanilla, and ripe fruit. Still drinking like a baby, this is full, soft, and long. Opulent and gorgeous right now but give this five years and you’ll be better off. Pull the cork in 2015. So much fruit for a Bordeaux. 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.James Suckling | 99 JSA stunning wine with extraordinary concentration, but still somewhat backward, this 2000 needs much more time than I projected seven years ago. It boasts an inky/dark purple color along with an intense nose of kirsch, blackberries, licorice, caramel, and flowers. Full-bodied with abundant tannin as well as a multidimensional, thick texture, this unevolved Pomerol has not changed much since its 2003 release. Gorgeous purity and a natural mouthfeel make for a dazzling wine that will benefit from another 5-10 years of cellaring, and last for three decades thereafter. It is a legendary effort!Robert Parker | 97+ RPThe 2000 l’Eglise-Clinet was picked from 18 September and matured in 80% new oak. This has a magnificent bouquet with black fruit infused with bay leaf, smoke, freshly rolled tobacco and a touch of spice. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite firm in the mouth with blackberry, clove, allspice and white pepper. This has always been a very complex millennial Pomerol with a very grippy, quite masculine finish and therefore decanting is advised. Denis Durantou informed that this was the only vintage neither fined nor filtered. Tasted at the l’Eglise-Clinet vertical at the château in April 2018.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis has everything. Super class and elegance, yet ripe and exciting. Fantastic aromas of blackberries, cherries, violets and minerals. Full-bodied, with incredible raspberry, cherry, mineral and silky tannins. Very long. Winemaker Denis Durantou is a purist, and it shows. Best after 2012.Wine Spectator | 97 WSOne of the wines that turned me on to the brilliance of Denis Durantou when tasted during a vertical with him and Michel Rolland back in 2014. I tasted it again this week and it more than lived up to my memories, with its understated power and rapid expansion through the palate as its exotic character becomes clear, coupled with the precise brush strokes that Durantou always managed to coax out of his wines. He died in May 2020, just as I was beginning to taste En Primeur 2019, and it seems only right to raise a glass to his memory. Drinking Window 2020 - 2040.Decanter | 97 DECDenis Durantou’s obsessive search for perfection paid off handsomely with this stunning 2000. Despite the richness of the fruit, there is still a sense of lightness to the wine which makes it surprisingly easy to comprehend at this stage. The Cabernet Franc perfumes couterpoint the rich Merlot, while the wood underpins everything.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE

Cassis, spice, chocolate, truffle, and floral notes all emerge from the 2000 Château Péby Faugères, a gorgeous, absolute tour de force in world-class Merlot. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, deep, rich, and textured, with beautiful balance and a layered, concentrated mouthfeel. This show-stopping, brilliant Saint-Émilion ranks with the crème de la crème of the region and has another 15+ years of prime drinking ahead of it. Drink 2026-2041.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe luxury cuvee from Faugeres (owned by Bernard Magrez), the 2000 Peby Faugeres is the real deal. Sadly, only 500+ cases were made of this compelling St.-Emilion. An inky/blue/purple hue is accompanied by aromas of espresso roast, blueberry liqueur, smoke, and graphite. Thick and unctuously-textured with impressive purity and depth as well as full-bodied power and richness, it needs another 2-3 years of cellaring, and should last for two decades.Robert Parker | 96 RPImpressive saturated ruby. Roasted black cherry, dark chocolate, mocha and espresso on the nose. Lush and silky on the palate, with intense, nicely delineated dark berry and torrefaction flavors. Impressively concentrated and rich. Dense, vinous and solidly structured wine, with plenty of extract to support the firm tannins. Finishes with excellent length.Vinous Media | 90+ VMStill youthfully rich and dark, with fig, blackberry and black cherry paste flavors layered with ganache and well-roasted espresso notes. More heft than cut as the wood dominates, though there is good loamy drive through the finish. Tasted from magnum. -- Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 1,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WSNice berries and cherry character on the nose that opens up to hints of green tea and a stemmy undertone. Full-bodied, with good fruit and a soft finish. Go ahead and pull the cork on this one.James Suckling | 90 JS

Made in an over-the-top style that seems to get more classic as the wine ages, this special cuvee from the Fombrauge vineyard (made by Michel Rolland for Bernard Magrez) reveals a dense plum/purple color in addition to a big, sweet nose of camphor, creosote, blackberries, blueberries, espresso roast, graphite, and toasty oak, and a phenomenally layered, full-bodied, rich mouthfeel. I thought this 2000 would be close to full maturity by 2006, but it remains surprisingly youthful. It should drink well for 20-25 more years. Bravo!Robert Parker | 98 RPDecadent and rich with lots of dried mushroom, meat and ripe fruit character. Full body, silky and refined tannins and a flavorful finish. Gorgeous now.James Suckling | 94 JSOn the dark side of the profile, but alluring, with freshly brewed espresso and smoldering charcoal notes leading the way to a core of steeped plum, blackberry and black currant fruit flavors. The finish is driven by graphite, with a noticeable tobacco edge starting to emerge. Very solid.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2025. 123 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Such great aromatics from the off - wild flowers, leather, tobacco, cigar smoke and red fruits. This is a real wine to have with food - juicy and fun with such lifted energy but keeping depth. There’s such detail and a sense of construction to this that it’s more than just an easy-drinking, enjoyable wine at this point. Feels like a great time to approach this to get a sense of the winemaking philosophy at the estate - creating ageable wines with a real sense of place and purpose.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECBeautifully perfumed notes of ripe cherries, currants, white truffle, and leafy tobacco emerge from the 2000 Château Smith Haut Lafitte, a stunning Pessac-Léognan that is undeniably drinking well yet has another 10-15 years of prime drinking ahead of it. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a seamless, layered mouthfeel, resolved tannins, and a great finish. It’s impeccably balanced and will have a gradual decline after reaching its peak. Drink 2026-2041.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDOne can’t say enough about this winery, which may still fly under the radar of most consumers. The fully mature 2000 displays gorgeous aromas of camphor, lead pencil shavings, unsmoked tobacco, plums, and black currants. With full body, a velvety texture, and beautiful weight, richness, and length, this superb wine should evolve, possibly improve for another 15 years. It’s a beauty!Robert Parker | 95 RPThe Cathiards have made a polished wine with generous fruit. It manages to combine a modern, rich style with a lightness of touch and freshness of fruit which make it instantly attractive.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEShowing a bit more maturity than some peers, this pushes singed cedar and smoldering alder flavors to the fore, along with well-mulled currant and fig fruit notes backed by a prominent tobacco edge on the finish. There’s a pretty sweetness of fruit here, even though this is fully into a secondary phase.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2018. 8,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSGood full ruby. Roasted red and black fruits, smoke and licorice on the nose. Powerful, even a bit aggressive, with less sweetness and subtlety than the subsequent vintages. Finishes with big, chewy, ripe tannins and lingering notes of tobacco and leather. Very Graves in style. This appears to be in the process of shutting down in the bottle.Vinous Media | 90+ VMThis wine begins with a delicious nose of plums, berries, and hints of toasted oak on the nose. On the palate it is full-bodied and round, with some good fruit and a soft finish with lots of chocolate. This is ready, pull the cork soon.James Suckling | 90 JS

I continue to be blown away by the 2000 Château L’Evangile. This is straight-up magical juice that will compete with anything out there. Revealing a still vivid ruby hue with no lightening at the rim, it builds beautifully with time in the glass and has the incredible Pomerol mix of opulence and elegance. Darker cherries, currants, graphite, loamy earth, and chocolate all define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied, with a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, perfect tannins, and an incredible finish. It will be interesting to see if the 2016 hits the same heights, but this is clearly one of the greatest wines from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThis is an absolutely spectacular L’Evangile. It remains to be seen whether 2009 will eclipse this great effort. Largely a Merlot-dominated blend with some Cabernet Franc in it, the greatness of this terroir is exhibited in the complexity of the nose, which offers up hints of subtle chocolate, blueberry, blackberry, truffle, barbecue smoke, and graphite. Dense, rich, and full-bodied, with an opulence and succulence that are prodigious, the tannins are present but extremely sweet, and the wine multi-dimensional and just emerging as a compellingly complex, head-turning beauty. Drink it now and over the next 20-25 years. Kudos to L’Evangile.Robert Parker | 98 RPLots of iodine, oyster, blueberry and blackberry aromas with hints of black olives. Some basil, too. Full body, powerful and dense with velvety tannins and fantastic length and intensity. A rich wine yet shows focus and form. Beautiful now and still showing impressive youth. There is a warmth to it. Drink or hold for years to come.James Suckling | 96 JS91% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. Needs aerating and remains a touch closed, even after 17 years. Clearly displays the rich black fruit and sexy Pomerol swagger that you expect of such a big vintage, tempered by the delicacy of the winemaking at L’Evangile. This is a great wine, still young, with a long life ahead of it. Drinking Window 2018 - 2035Decanter | 94 DECSaturated ruby. Superripe aromas of black and red fruits and dark chocolate; almost but not quite pruney. Then pliant, sweet and lush, with explosive black raspberry fruit and lots of early personality. This is downright hedonistic and deceptively soft. Finishes very long and ripe, with extremely fine tannins.Vinous Media | 92-95 VMA savory edge leads off, followed by well-mulled raspberry, blackberry and strawberry flavors, with dried anise and black licorice notes taking over on the finish. Touches of raisin and plum skin notes at the very end have this red flirting with a Port-like surmaturité, but this will have fans for sure. You can push it if you want, but I’d drink this sooner rather than later.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 2,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

A dense, traditionally crafted wine for those with patience, the 2000 Calon-Segur rivals the estate’s finest wines of the last two decades, the 1995, 1988, and 1982. But be forewarned, this wine has already closed down, something totally in character with all top vintages from this estate. This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc exhibits a plum/purple color along with gorgeous aromas of creosote intermixed with spring flowers, black cherries, cassis, licorice, and stony, liquid minerals. A powerful, tannic, full-bodied and opulent wine, it possesses considerable structure that is reasonably well-concealed by considerable glycerin and intensity. Look for it to be at its best between 2012-2040. Patience, patience, patience!Robert Parker | 94 RPThe 2000 Calon-Ségur still appears quite youthful on the rim. The well-defined nose offers brambly red fruit, red currant, crushed strawberry, rose petals and cedar, and some sous-bois just loitering in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with refined tannins. This has mellowed since I tasted it in London five years ago, and touches of tobacco and tart red cherries enliven the finish. I have always loved this millennial Calon-Ségur and now it is à point and drinking beautifully. Aged in 50% new oak and 50% one-year-old for 12 months (less than nowadays.)Vinous Media | 93 VMThis is a solid, huge wine, with rich but very dry tannins. With its dense, almost black color, and its sense of brooding power, it promises long aging. It will never be in the opulent Bordeaux camp, despite its prominent new wood flavors, but will probably outlive all but a handful top wines.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis shows a noticeable leafy edge, with tobacco, light cedar, bay and worn leather notes holding sway over a core of lightly mulled red currant and plum fruit flavors. Not as dense as the top examples, but everything pulls together nicely through the fine-grained finish.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2020.Wine Spectator | 90 WS(Château Calon-Ségur) The 2000 Calon-Ségur is a very closed, very grumpy wine at the present time, and this is a characteristic that it shares at the present time with a great many wines from this vintage. The blend here included forty-two percent merlot in 2000 and the wine offers up a very deep-pitched and adolescent bouquet of black fruit, inky tones, damp, dark soil, dried eucalyptus, coffee grounds and cigar smoke. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, closed down and quite dense at the core, with a gritty edge to its firm and chewy tannins, little generosity at the present time, but also with impressive grip on the closed, but very, very long finish. The length on the backend here really gives me some hope for the future of this wine, but it is really in a very difficult place for current assessment and I do not have a strong sense of whether or not this wine will always be a bit charmless, or if this is simply a passing phase and it will blossom to deliver some of Calons’ inherent breed with sufficient bottle age. (Drink between 2025-2065)John Gilman | 88-92+ JG

Stunning and nearly pure perfection, the 2000 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is fully mature and smack in the middle of its prime drinking window. Currants, tobacco, spices, dried flowers, and hints of truffle all emerge from the bouquet, and it’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a pure, graceful, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. I love everything about this wine. It probably has another 40 years of life, but why wait? Drink 2026-2066.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDComposed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the medium to deep garnet-brick colored 2000 Ducru-Beaucaillou charges out of the gate with flamboyant scents of baked black currants, raisin cake, prunes, Chinese five spice and eucalyptus plus touches of cigar box, new leather and cast iron pan. Medium-bodied, the palate is remarkably refreshing with all these decadent spice and dried berries layers coating the palate, textured by soft, powdery tannins, finishing long and mineral laced. Stunning!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPMoccha, pine and mushroom notes emphasise the development almost 25 years since the vintage. There is still masses of sweet, dark currant fruit on the palatae with plenty of acidity to keep the wine fresh and alive. Concentrated and long, this is a fine wine which is now well into its drinking phase. Perhaps the tannins give the age away a little, with a leafy, slightly drying finish, suggesting that the wine is not going to improve substantially, but will hold well.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECI must admit that I was a little unimpressed with the Ducru 2000 in the beginning when I tasted it after bottling in 2003. But it’s clearly outstanding now and seems to get better and better with age. It shows wonderful aromas of roses and currants with hints of mint. It’s full body yet very finely textured with pretty fruit concentration and length.James Suckling | 96 JSIt had been more than a decade since I last tasted a bottle of the 2000 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou and time has certainly been kind to this beautiful wine! It is starting to stir nicely and really shows a level of complexity and breed that only First Growths routinely exude. The bouquet is still youthful, but pure, complex and refined, wafting from the glass in a mix of cassis, sweet dark berries, violets, a fine base of gravelly soil tones, tobacco leaf, a suave framing of new oak and lovely smokiness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impeccably balanced, with a rock solid core of sweet black fruit, stunning soil signature and grip, fine-grained tannins and a long, focused and utterly seamless finish. This wine still needs a good decade in the cellar to further soften up its tannins, but it is now very easy to read its future greatness. It is borderline criminal that Ducru and Pichon-Lalande are not First Growths! (Drink between 2033-2100)John Gilman | 96 JGThis has mature hints, but there’s great focus as the cedar, bay and leather notes race along with, rather than pull away from, the core of fig and blackberry fruit flavors. The long, bittersweet cocoa–dusted finish provides a solid bass line.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2023. 17,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2000 Ducru-Beaucaillou is very deep in colour. Surprisingly, the nose is very backward in this example with quite intense black cherries, boysenberry, prune and fig aromas, gaining clarity and vigour with aeration (serious decanting is advised for this millennial.) The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins. Stocky, but not muscular, this has a firm backbone, grainy tannins, liquorice-tinged black fruit with a grippy, almost menthol finish. I adored this wine a decade ago, but ten years on, has it really evolved as well as other vintages? Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Seven years ago I said this was a monumental wine, and at two different recent tastings, it was a true star of the vintage. Its stunning dark plum color offers up notes of caramelized red and black fruits, toffee, smoke, Asian plum sauce, sweet cherries, chocolate, and espresso. Its spectacular aromatics do not disappoint on the palate, as this multi-dimensional, highly complex, opulent wine seems to have hit a magical point in its evolution. Full-bodied, and concentrated, there is no issue with drinking this dazzling effort now, but those who own it can certainly cellar it for another 15 or more years. Bravo!Robert Parker | 96 RPThis is a ripe and intense red with a layered and intense character of chocolate and dried tomatoes. Full-bodied, layered and spicy with cloves and dried thyme. Very flavorful.James Suckling | 95 JSThis is rather dramatic, with lush, layered blackberry puree and mocha notes that just keep going and going, picking up juicy black licorice and Black Forest cake flavors along the way. This has the spine to pull it off but is really for the all-hedonism-only crowd.--Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2025. 1,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSFull ruby-red. Superripe, alluring aromas of raspberry, cherry liqueur, mocha, coffee, game, violet and truffle. Thick, concentrated and sexy, with perfectly integrated acidity giving the wine uncanny vivacity and lightness of touch considering its great ripeness and richness. Underlying minerality contributes to the impression of precision. Very intensely flavored and long on personality. An utterly captivating drink.Vinous Media | 93 VM