Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry 2010
“Gorgeous, flowery, classic Margaux once again, the 2010 Malescot Saint-Exupéry continues to show virtually no toasty oak, given the impeccable balance and full-bodied, full-throttle style it possesses. Black raspberries, crème de cassis and spring floral notes intermixed with forest floor and a hint of charcoal are followed by an opulent, sexy, full-bodied wine whose tannins have become much sweeter, while the wine is less restrained yet still exuberant and impressive. This is a phenomenal example once again for this estate, harmonious in every sense of style, extraordinarily long, rich and ageworthy.”
95 | Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate
Flora Springs Cabernet Sauvignon Out of Sight Vineyard 2007
“The tannins are strong in this 100% Cab . . . but there's no denying the wealth of blackberries, black currants, violets and cedar that flood the mouth and last through a long, spicy finish. The vineyard is in the cooler southern part of the valley, on the east side of Oak Knoll. Give this wine time.”
94 | Wine Enthusiast
Château Pipeau 2003
“Intense aromas of crushed berry, smoke and toasted oak. Full-bodied and very chewy, with a vanilla, coffee and berry aftertaste. Loads here.”
90 | James Suckling, Wine Spectator
Quintessa 2002
“The best Quintessa in years, this huge, rich wine is really too young now. All the parts are beautiful, from the ripe, sweet cherry-blackberry fruit through the fine, dusty tannins to the lush overlay of vanilla-scented oak. This will be a great wine by 2007 and should last for many years afterward.”
94 | Wine Enthusiast
Nickel & Nickel Cabernet Sauvignon Martin Stelling Vineyard 2001
“Impresses with its opulence and decadence. Soft . . . in texture, with a velvety, melted fudge mouthfeel that carries flavors of chocolate, vanilla, blackberry, cassis, spices and smoky oak across the palate through a long finish.”
93 | Wine Enthusiast
Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry 2001
“Ruby-red. Sexy aromas of red berries, tobacco, coffee and chocolatey oak. Fat and supple, with red berry and tarry oak flavors. Ripe and fleshy in the middle without being overly sweet. But not yet revealing its personality. Finishes with broad . . . dry tannins.”
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Arnaldo-Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco Venticinque Anni 2000
“The 2000 Montefalco 25 Anni simply multiplies all the elements exponentially with room-filling aromas of sweet berry fruit and perfectly integrated oak and a mouth-coating cascade of ripe fruit, powerful, dense, and sensual tannins in a swelling flow of unrelieved pleasure. One of the greatest pleasures in my professional life over the past fifteen years has been the discovery of the wines of Marco Caprai and, through him, the tremendous potential of Sagrantino, at the time a totally unknown grape which no one, even in the wildest stretch of his imagination, could have ever considered a variety capable of giving some of Italy’s greatest wines.”
97 | Daniel Thomases, The Wine Advocate
Château de la Negly La Porte du Ciel 1998
“The spectacular 1998 La Porte du Ciel was fashioned entirely from Syrah harvested at 14 hectoliters per hectare. Each bunch was destemmed by hand and crushed by foot. The wine's alcoholic fermentation lasted 40 days, after which it was placed in new Seguin-Moreau barrels. In short, this wine was produced in an uncompromising manner. Its awesomely elegant and complex nose is composed of cassis liqueur and candied red raspberries. On the palate, it is massive, powerful, hugely intense, yet refined. Full-bodied, crammed with . . . red and black fruit flavors, this benchmark-setting Languedoc combines the embracing warmth often associated with the wines of this region with the nobility and class generally attributed to more highly touted viticultural areas. Readers who adore Syrah or cherish profound wine should not miss this one.”
92-94 | Pierre Rovani, The Wine Advocate
Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 1998
“One of the riper, more exotic wines of the vintage, this gushes with black currant, fig and blackberry fruit, all of which has melded together and is starting to show a corrupt edge, while the sweet bacon, spice, mesquite and clove-studded blood orange notes fill out the background. The long, very juicy finish is multilayered and supported by fresh acidity.”
96 | James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill 1993
“Still shows plenty of restraint, with its Bordeaux-like presentation of tight, earthy currant, overlay of cedar and tobacco and flashes of mineral, leather and tar. Gains complexity on the finish even as the tannins reveal their youth.”
James Laube, Wine Spectator
Château Trotanoy 1989
“It had been many, many years since I last tasted the 1989 Château Trotanoy, and the wine has evolved beautifully from those youthful days and the last two bottles that I have tasted have been really quite lovely. The bouquet is deep, complex and just beginning to blossom at age twenty-four, as it offers up a lovely blend of red plums, a touch of blood orange, tobacco smoke, incipient notes of Pomerol nuttiness, mocha, and a stylish base of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and still fairly primary, with a velvety core of fruit, lovely focus, a fair bit of ripe tannin still to resolve, tangy acids and excellent length and grip on the complex finish. I would still give this vintage of Trotanoy . . . years in the cellar to really open up (though it is certainly quite approachable already) . . . . A lovely vintage of Trotanoy that still deserves a bit of extended cellaring . . . it is a superb wine that is still climbing in quality.”
93+ | John Gilman, View From the Cellar
Château Rauzan-Ségla 1988
“A very strong, powerful wine with an opaque ruby/purple color and a tight but promising bouquet of black currants intermixed with iron, smoke, licorice, and dried herbs, this muscular, very masculine, brawny wine seems built for the long haul.”
91 | Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate
Pétrus 1976
“Mid crimson with a brick rim. Fresh, sweet, floral aromas . . . . clean and charming. Very fresh finish with medium persistence . . . . so much more intense than most 1976 red Bordeaux would be now.”
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com
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