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Wine Spectator
Top-Rated Wines by Wine Spectator
Perhaps most famous for the Wine Spectator Top 100 list released annually at the end of each year, Wine Spectator is at the forefront of wine reviews, wine recommendations, and wine education. Spectator has been in publication since 1976, and their top critics evaluate and report on tens of thousands of wines every year. Take comfort in knowing that, if Wine Spectator liked it, you probably will, too!
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Château Lagrange Saint-Julien2018 / 750 ml. | Item#55081
JD9797 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 3/11/2021
The flagship 2018 Château Lagrange is a more dense, backward, serious wine, offering an unevolved yet incredibly promising bouquet of cassis, blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and violets. A big, rich, full-bodied Saint-Julien, it delivers thrilling purity of fruit, plenty of background oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a great mid-palate. This is serious stuff, but it’s going to require patience. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades. (Jeb Dunnuck) RP9595 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 31st Mar 2021
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done! VN9494 pts. - Vinous - Mar 2021
The 2018 Lagrange is charming and gracious. Sweet, lifted aromatics and mid-weight structure give the 2018 tons of immediacy. Bright red berries, blood orange, mint, spice, rose petal and cedar build with time in the glass. Polished, silky tannins grace the beautifully persistent finish. Best of all, the 2018 will be ready to go with only minimal cellaring. WE9494 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 5/1/2021
This smoky wine still shows some wood aging flavors. Structure comes from this wood aging as well as the rich blackberry-fruit tannins and concentration. The succulent Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe and full. It needs time, so drink from 2026. JS9494 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Extremely perfumed with currant and blackberry aromas, as well as flowers. It medium-to full-bodied with firm, creamy tannins that frame some pretty, elegant fruit for the vintage. Try after 2024. SP9393 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2021
Rock solid Cab here, with mouthwatering black currant and blackberry fruit flavors laced with a graphite edge and innervated with bramble, tobacco, bay and violet notes through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2035. 20,800 cases made.
France | Bordeaux | Medoc | Saint-Julien
Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
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Château Prieuré-Lichine Margaux2019 / 750 ml. | Item#58005
VN9595 pts. - Vinous - Feb 2022
The 2019 Prieuré-Lichine is impeccable. Creamy, layered and resonant in the glass, the 2019 hits all the right notes. Sweet red cherry/plum, lavender, rose petal, spice, mint and blood orange all build effortlessly. Over the last handful of years Prieuré-Lichine has been the singe most under the radar wine in Margaux. The 2019 is another fine edition. Class, polish and sensuality make Prieuré-Lichine absolutely irresistible. JS9595 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Sunday, February 20, 2022
Wonderful aromas of dried orange, blackcurrant and crushed stone follow through to a full body with beautifully polished tannins that are composed and fine. Lots of subtle and complex character on the finish. Extremely well done here. Drink after 2025. RP9393 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 7th Apr 2022
The 2019 Prieuré-Lichine is supple and generous, bursting with aromas of blackberries, currants, licorice, spices and creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy, it’s round and enveloping, with ripe acids and a rich, seamless profile. This is showing well out of the gates. This heavily morcellated estate (amounting to some 125 different parcels) is clearly benefitting from a more rigorous selection and better attention to detail regarding harvest dates. SP9292 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2022
Presents lush plum and blackberry preserve flavors that gush through, flanked by a twinge of singed sandalwood to give it form. The finish is dotted by dark licorice, ganache and earth accents. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2034. 18,000 cases made. JD9292 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 4/11/2022
Readers looking for a complex, nuanced Margaux should check out the 2019 Château Prieuré-Lichine. Giving up a beautiful floral bouquet that includes red and blue fruits, sappy herbs, and flowery incense, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, plenty of mid-palate depth and sweet tannins, and a great finish. This complex, layered Margaux needs just 2–4 years of bottle age and should see its 20th birthday in fine form. (Jeb Dunnuck)Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
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Château Talbot Saint-Julien2019 / 750 ml. | Item#59328
SP9595 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2022
Well-built and rather refined for the vintage, with a deep well of red and black currant paste and plum reduction flavors supported by a deeply inlaid iron note, all of which run the length of the wine. Offers subtle savory, tobacco and singed cedar notes that add range, with a savory echo that leaves a mouthwatering feel in the end. Built to cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040. 23,333 cases made, 1,167 cases imported. (James Molesworth) JS9595 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Sunday, February 20, 2022
Ripe redcurrants and plums with violet and other flowers on the nose. Full-bodied with firm, polished tannins that are ripe yet firm. Pure fruit here. Pretty center-palate. Chewy finish. Give this at least five or six years to come around. Best after 2026. WE94+94–96 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 1/1/2021
Barrel Sample. A rich, spicy and smoky wine, this has generous tannins to balance the blackberry fruit flavors. The structure is already impressive, showing ripeness as well as density, which is promising for plenty of aging. (Roger Voss) VN9494 pts. - Vinous - Feb 2022
The 2019 Talbot was one of the best recent vintages that I had tasted when a sample was sent to me last year, in no small part thanks to the appointment of Jean-Michel Laporte. The 2019 has a large proportion (69%) of Cabernet Sauvignon, higher than previous vintages. Bottled in May 2021, it retains that delineated, focused bouquet of blackberry scents and touches of pencil lead, hints of raspberry and cedar. Just classic Saint-Julien. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins and a superb line of acidity. Much more cohesive with more substance than prior vintages. There is a touch of spiciness toward the lingering finish, which reveals tobacco and gravel-like notes. Talbot made a great wine in 2019 and it will age with style. 14.1% alcohol (Neal Martin) JD93+93+ pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 4/11/2022
The 2019 Château Talbot is straight-up impressive, sporting a dense purple hue as well as a powerful nose of cassis, scorched earth, smoked tobacco, and spicy wood. Rich, black-fruited, medium to full-bodied, and structured, it’s a rock-solid, balanced Saint-Julien that will benefit from 4–5 years of bottle age and age for 15–20 years. (Jeb Dunnuck) RP9393 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 7th Apr 2022
The 2019 Talbot is performing well, opening in the glass with aromas of earthy cassis, plums, burning embers and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a savory finish, it’s Jean-Michel Laporte’s second vintage at this sleeping giant of Saint-Julien. This will be an estate to watch closely going forward. (William Kelley)France | Bordeaux | Medoc | Saint-Julien
Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Wine Spectator Top 100 selection - 2022 | #4
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- Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
Grand Cru Classé
2015 / 750 ml. | Item#47189VN9696 pts. - Vinous - Feb 2018
One of the finest Pauillacs of 2015, Lynch-Bages is rich, racy and voluptuous. A rush of dark red and purplish stone fruit, mint, new leather, spice and blood orange give the 2015 a very decidedly exotic character that is impossible to miss. Raspberry jam, mocha, new leather and expressive floral notes appear with time in the glass, rounding things out nicely. Even though the 2015 is quite forward and open at this stage, the wine has plenty of stuffing as well as the underlying structure to support many years of exceptional drinking. This is a stellar showing for Lynch-Bages. JS95+95–96 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Friday, April 1, 2016
Very classic styled Lynch with pretty ripe fruit and tannin balanced. Full body, firm and chewy tannins yet polished and refined. Alcohol and fruit balance are lower than other top years and give this wine freshness and energy. WE94+94–96 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 5/1/2016
This wine is sumptuous, ripe and generously fruity. It has a black core of dry plum skin and spice. The richness is topped by acidity, forming a contrast with the tannic core. SP9494 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2018
This has an ample core of plum, fig and blackberry compote flavors, underlined liberally with graphite and smoldering tobacco notes. Fleshy and focused, with ample grip through the juniper- and tar-accented finish. Well-built. Best from 2023 through 2038. RP93+93–95 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 27th Apr 2016
They 2015 Lynch Bages is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that was picked from 23 September until 2 October, matured in 75% new oak. There is an overwhelming sense of purity on the nose: perfumed, almost floral blackberry, wild strawberry, graphite and cedar scents, unmistakably Pauillac in style. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannin, a keen citrus thread that impart tension and ample freshness. Tasting this as the first wine of the day, it instantly refreshes the mouth and leaves it tingling with energy after it has departed. This is an excellent, top-grade Lynch Bages that deserves 8–10 years in bottle and then will offer three decade of pleasure, maybe more.Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Margaux
2018 / 750 ml. | Item#55280
RP100100 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 31st Mar 2021
The 2018 Château Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, representing 36% of the crop this year. The wine has a pH of 3.8 and 14% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal tantalizing scents of crème de cassis, wild blueberries and Black Forest cake with hints of redcurrant jelly, rose oil, dark chocolate and cedar chest plus a touch of star anise. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit, fragrant earth and floral layers, supported by a rock-solid structure of exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless backbone of freshness, finishing with fantastic length. This is classic Margaux at its most seductive, although it is, rather amazingly, approachable and absolutely delicious right now. But, to enjoy its full glory, you will want to cellar it for at least 6–8 years and then watch it metamorphize over the next 40+ years. JD100100 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 3/11/2021
Based on 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Château Margaux is a magical, incredibly sexy expression of this Château that sports a dense purple color as well as a thrilling bouquet of blueberries, cassis, acacia flowers, scorched earth, sandalwood, and violets. Incredibly concentrated and full-bodied on the palate, it nevertheless has an almost Burgundian sense of finesse and elegance, with an ethereal texture, silky yet massive amounts of tannins, notable freshness, and brilliant length. The alcohol hit a whopping 14%, which is high by this estate’s standards, but everything is flawlessly integrated, the balance is perfect, and I certainly can’t find anything that could be better. This 2018 is going to be relatively drinkable at an early age (do your best to hide bottles for 7–8 years) yet last for 75+. (Jeb Dunnuck) JS100100 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Sunday, November 28, 2021
So much ash, tobacco and earth to the bright blackberry and currant aromas. Flowers too. Fresh. Full-bodied with seamless tannins that spread across your palate and caress every square centimeter. It’s shows loads of ripe-berry, cherry, currant and chocolate character, as well as walnut and light cedar. Then the finish goes on for minutes. Extremely refined and elegant, despite the structure. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 4% merlot and 2% petit verdot. A joy to taste, but drink after 2025. VN98+98+ pts. - Vinous - Mar 2021
The 2018 Margaux is an infant. Today, the tannins are unusually searing, but then again, the 2018 is a wine in which all the elements are dialed up to the maximum. Time in the glass releases the fruit, revealing a luxurious, opulent Château Margaux built for the cellar. Cedar, tobacco, dried flowers and mint develop with a bit of coaxing. Rich, deep and utterly beguiling, the 2018 is a dramatic wine that will thrill readers lucky enough to own it. SP9898 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2021
This struts along with supreme confidence, as a cashmere-textured structure effortlessly carries a prodigious set of warmed cassis, plum reduction and blackberry compote flavors, pulling in alder, bergamot, black and red tea and iron notes. Still manages to come across as restrained in the end. A beautiful wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2028 through 2040. 10,833 cases made. WE9898 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 5/1/2021
While this wine reflects the richness and density of the vintage, it also shows all the elegance of which a great Margaux is capable. The wine is powerful and beautifully structured, both ripe and restrained. It will age magnificently. Start to think about drinking from 2028.Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Montrose Saint-Estèphe
2009 / 750 ml. | Item#33680
RP100100 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 22nd Dec 2011
A colossal effort, the 2009 Montrose represents a hypothetical blend of the monumental duo of 1989 and 1990 combined with the phenomenal 2003. With 13.7% alcohol (an all-time high at Montrose), it is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Some structure and minerality can be detected in the background, but the overall impression is one of massive blackberry, black currant and mulberry fruit intermixed with forest floor, damp earth, crushed rocks and a hint of spring flowers. Full-bodied with sweet but abundant tannin, Jean-Bernard Delmas believes this is the greatest wine he has made during his short tenure at Montrose since retiring from Haut-Brion. This wine will undoubtedly shut down for a decade, then unleash its power, glory and potential perfection. Anticipated maturity: 2020–2050+. SP9797 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2012
A bit of a brute, with a very chewy bittersweet ganache, tobacco and roasted fig core splayed open right now by a dagger of roasted apple wood, allspice and cedar. Long and dense through the finish, with a strong singed iron edge. The stuffing is certainly there, but this will take a while to come together as it’s running unbridled right now. Proves you can still get classic old-school Bordeaux. Best from 2020 through 2040. 17,000 cases made. ST9797 pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - Jul/Aug 2012
Bright, deep ruby-red. Drop-dead gorgeous nose offers cassis, mineral and candied violet aromas of great depth. Enters the mouth sweet, suave, and dense, showing utterly seamless, highly complex flavors of dark berries, underbrush, minerals and cedar. For a wine with such amazing depth of flavor, this comes across as almost weightless. Though it displays the upfront fruity charm of the 2009 vintage, this is a complex, rich monster that will prove extremely ageworthy. One of the wines of the vintage, and the best young Montrose I’ve yet tasted.France | Bordeaux | Medoc | Saint-Estephe
Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Cos d’Estournel Saint-Estèphe
2010 / 750 ml. | Item#35703
RP97+97+ pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 27th Feb 2013
The 2010 is a more structured, restrained, less flamboyant version of the 2009. A final blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that hit 14.5% natural alcohol, this wine (which represents only 55% of the estate's production) is full-bodied, classic and built along the lines of the 2000 (although that wine was made before Reybier acquired the estate and upgraded quality significantly). This wine exhibits beautifully pure notes of creme de cassis, blueberry liqueur, pen ink, graphite and hints of toast and vanillin. The wine is full and rich, and although aged in 80% new oak, the wood is a subtle background component. This beauty will take longer to round into shape than the dramatic and compelling 2009. Forget it for 5–8 years, and drink it over the following three-plus decades. SP9595 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2013
An extremely well-sculpted, modern wine, with an enormous core of plum sauce, blackberry coulis and cassis fruit to match the ambitious roasted apple wood-, black tea- and tobacco-infused toast. Dense and chewy now, displaying the tannic spine of the vintage, this remains integrated, racy and incredibly long, offering a piercing chalky backbone that rivets everything together. Best from 2018 through 2038. WE9595 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 5/1/2013
This is a complex and rich wine dominated by superripe fruit. It is a wine of extremes, of fruit, of dark tannins allied to some bitterness from the black chocolate extract. Ripe plums and sweet black fruits are given a lift at the end with bright acidity. ST94+94+? pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - Jul/Aug 2013
Full, bright ruby. Superripe but vibrant nose offers liqueur-like cassis, graphite, mocha and exotic oak scents; smells thick! Then plush, dense, large-scaled and seamless, offering extraordinary breadth and a 3-D texture to its dark fruit, graphite and mineral flavors. This very modern style of Cos finishes with outstanding, building, palate-saturating persistence and utterly sweet tannins.France | Bordeaux | Medoc | Saint-Estephe
Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Grand-Puy Ducasse
2018 / 750 ml. | Item#57904
VN92+92–95 pts. - Vinous - Apr 2019
The 2018 Grand Puy Ducasse is gorgeous. In fact, the 2018 is one of the most polished and refined recent vintages I can remember tasting for a wine that up until recently was much darker and more extracted in style. The purity of the fruit is simply striking, while the explosive energy in the glass is a thing of beauty. It will be fascinating to see where the 2018 goes, but there is little question that this style towards more elegance driven by Technical Director Anne Le Naour and consulting oenologist Hubert de Bouärd is hugely appealing. The 2018 is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot. Tasted two times. SP92+92–95 pts. - Wine Spectator - Web only – 2019
Lovely, featuring a beautiful beam of pure cassis, lined with iron, savory and tobacco notes. The long finish really glistens. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. 10,000 cases made. RP91+91–93 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 23rd Apr 2019
The 2018 Grand-Puy-Ducasse is deep garnet-purple in color and has quite a lot of cedar/oak on the nose to begin, opening out to a core of warm black and red currants, stewed plums and mulberries with touches of pencil shavings, fried herbs, lavender and tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, the palate gives a firm, grainy frame with some chew from the oak and fresh, crunchy red and black fruit, finishing savory.Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Lafite-Rothschild
2015 / 750 ml. | Item#57486
WE100100 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 4/1/2018
This is a great vintage from Lafite. The profile is rich in feel, with a seriously firm tannic structure. Solid, complex and with great authority, this Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wine, is impressively dense in dark-fruit tones. It will age for many years. Drink from 2027, although that would almost be too soon. JS9999 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Saturday, February 3, 2018
Lead and graphite are complimented by notes of blueberries and blackberries. Blackcurrants, too. Full-bodied and focused with very round and polished tannins. Elegance with power. Very classic nature for Lafite. Try in 2022. RP96+96+ pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 21st Feb 2018
The deep garnet-purple shaded 2015 Lafite Rothschild is blended of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot and was matured for 20 months in new oak barrels from Tonnellerie des Domaines (their own cooperage). It is still sporting a lot of cedar at this nascent stage with a vibrant core of black raspberries, red currants and crushed plums plus touches of cigar boxes, violets and underbrush with a waft of tilled loam. Medium-bodied and elegantly styled with wonderful freshness and depth, it is compellingly earthy/minerally in the mouth with a frame of seductively silky yet very firm tannins and culminating in a very long, racy and pure finish. Boasting spectacular finesse and packed with nuances, clearly, given some of the challenges here in 2015, this is a masterpiece of diligence in the vineyards, careful selection and very clever crafting — bravo! VN96+96+ pts. - Vinous - Feb 2018
Rich, powerful and enveloping, the 2015 Lafite-Rothschild is endowed with serious volume and textural resonance. Super-ripe plum, smoke and spice notes emerge in the glass, but only with great reluctance. Although the aromatics aren’t giving much at this point, the palate is much more expressive. The wine’s sheer power and authoritative tone result in an unusually dramatic Lafite. The 2015 is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot that spent 20 months in oak, which is a bit more than the norm. SP9595 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2018
Velvet- and silk-textured red currant, raspberry and black cherry compote notes glide through, supported by a perfectly embedded graphite spine, while enticing violet, black tea and alder accents add range through the finish. Very refined and sneakily long. Best from 2025 through 2045. 16,000 cases made.Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: 91% Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac
2005 / 750 ml. | Item#26075
WE9999 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 6/1/2008
Initially dense, almost black enough to be attacked with a knife. But then it becomes apparent that this is a beautifully integrated, balanced wine, bringing together power, with the hallmark Lafite style and poise. In the end, you have a wine that promises an impressive aging potential along with delicious black currant fruits, acidity and a layer of striking tannins. SP9898 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2008
Delivers blackberry, dried porcini, tobacco and licorice aromas. Full-bodied, with layers of velvety tannins and loads of dark chocolate, cigar box, currant, berry and mineral. The finish is long, with a coffee, almost meaty, aftertaste. Very beautiful and balanced. Best after 2013. WS9898 pts. - Wine & Spirits - October 1, 2008
Lafite is the most elegant of the firsts in 2005; it also may be the most romantic. The wine’s heady scent of new oak rises in harmony with the succulent red fruit. Then the tannins come on with a gentle roar, layering the perception of flavors in subtle shadings. There’s not a trace of the hyper intensity that so many young 2005s wear as if required for their longevity. The stones of Lafite grow something more numinous than that, a wine with power to strike an emotional chord through taste. This will be one of the longest wine of 2005. ST9797 pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - May/Jun 2008
Bright medium ruby. Knockout nose combines black- and redcurrant, minerals, graphite, licorice and lavender. Wonderfully suave and seamless, but with great purity and precision of flavor and terrific inner-palate perfume and lift. This dances over every square millimeter of the palate. Almost painfully young today, with an impression of fresh acidity serving to intensify the wine’s flavors. About as austere a wine as I tasted from this vintage in April and yet it’s not hard. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and a whiplash of minerally perfume. I’d forget about this one for about 15 years. RP96+96+ pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 29th Apr 2008
While the 2005 is another brilliantly classic Lafite Rothschild, for my taste, it comes in slightly behind their extraordinarily opulent 2003 as well as the dramatically powerful 2000. A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot, the 2005 boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to that exceptional Lafite perfume of graphite, spring flowers, crushed rocks, and sweet black cherry and black currant fruit that exudes class and nobility. The wine is medium-bodied with extremely high levels of tannin in addition to sensational purity, length, and overall harmony. However, it is exceptionally backward, and even more tannic than either the 1995 or 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2020–2050+Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac
2010 / 750 ml. | Item#36547
RP9898 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 27th Feb 2013
The 2010 Lafite Rothschild, a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot (a 3% difference from the barrel sample shown two years ago), achieved relatively high alcohol of 13.32%, according to administrator Charles Chevalier. The wine is very impressive, not as fleshy, flamboyant and massive as the 2009, but nevertheless, a big, rich, full-throttle Lafite-Rothschild meant to age a half century or more. Deep purple, with notes of white chocolate, mocha, cedar and charcoal as well as hints of vanillin and creme de cassis, the wine is full-bodied yet has that ethereal lightness that makes it a Lafite. Rich, with good acidity, precision and freshness, this is a slightly zestier version of the 2009 as well as more restrained and structured than that particular vintage. It will need at least 10–12 years of cellaring and keep for 50+ years. SP9797 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2013
Rather tight, with an alluring whiff of cocoa that lures you in before disappearing into the core of steeped plum, roasted fig and blackberry coulis notes. Sandalwood, black tea and loam elements fill in on the long and expansive finish. This seems to be lying in wait for what could be a very long time in the cellar before unfurling fully. Best from 2018 through 2045. 15,833 cases made. ST96+96+ pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - Jul/Aug 2013
Deep ruby-purple. Closed but extremely pure and penetrating on the nose, offering delicate aromas of crushed blackcurrant, flint and graphite lifted by a perfumed violet topnote. Very refined and clean on the palate, with concentrated cassis, violet, ink and cedar flavors that are archetypal Lafite. Finishes with the hint of astringency that I find in a lot of 2010 Bordeaux. This is an extremely impressive Lafite but it needs at least a decade of cellaring.Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Léoville-Poyferré Saint-Julien
2009 / 750 ml. | Item#33819
RP100100 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 22nd Dec 2011
One of the more flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite and spring flowers is followed by a super-concentrated wine with silky tannins, stunning amounts of glycerin, a voluptuous, multilayered mouthfeel and nearly 14% natural alcohol. Displaying fabulous definition for such a big, plump, massive, concentrated effort, I suspect the tannin levels are high even though they are largely concealed by lavish amounts of fruit, glycerin and extract. Anticipated maturity: 2018–2040. VN9696 pts. - Vinous - Sep 2021
The 2009 Léoville-Poyferré is intense but beautifully controlled on the nose with an enticing but not exotic mélange of red and black fruit laced with pencil box and smoke. Superb intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, brisk and spicy, brimming with energy and fanning out gloriously towards the finish. There is nothing overblown or extravagant, yet it harnesses the precocity of the vintage to glorious effect. Drinking supremely well now and for a number of years. Tasted at the Léoville-Poyferré vertical at the château with Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. (Neal Martin) WE9696 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 2/1/2012
An immensely structured wine, packed with dark tannins promising aging potential. It is complex, powerful, layered with new wood and concentration, finishing with dark plum fruits and acidity. ST9595 pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - Jul/Aug 2012
Bright medium ruby. Classic Saint-Julien aromas of cassis, licorice, tar, minerals and dark chocolate. Lush, sweet and powerful, with a superb glyceral texture to the dark berry and dark chocolate flavors. Huge wine but not at all heavy. The extremely long, echoing finish features utterly noble tannins that saturate the front teeth. Offers a show-stopping combination of sweetness and structure. Built for three decades of life in bottle. SP9393 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2012
Solid notes of steeped black currant, ganache-coated fig and plum eau de vie pump along in this very dark red, but with well-integrated structure. Long and winey through the finish, with the grip extending everything nicely. Best from 2016 through 2026.France | Bordeaux | Medoc | Saint-Julien
Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: 62.5% Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
2018 / 750 ml. | Item#53915
JD98+98+ pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 3/11/2021
One of the finest vintages I’ve ever tasted from this address, the 2018 Château Lynch-Bages has everything you look for in a great wine: incredible aromatics, richness without weight, perfect balance, and a purity of fruit that’s just about off the charts. Dense purple, it reveals a glorious perfume of blackcurrants and blackberry fruits, a deep, unctuous mouthfeel, building tannins, and a complex array of cedar pencil, tobacco, wood smoke, and chocolate. A true blockbuster in every sense, with masses of fruit and tannins as well as moderate acidity, it will probably merit a triple-digit score in a decade and is a 50+-year wine from this team. (Jeb Dunnuck) SP9797 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2021
Vibrant, with a violet and cassis lead-in that then expands to include steeped black cherry and plum fruit as well as extra savory, iron and licorice root notes. Nice latent grip too, with a mouthwatering tug of earth at the very end. The fruit is so vibrant, it’s a tease now, but there’s structure here for the long haul, so be patient. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040. JS9797 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Aromas of blackberries, cloves, licorice, dried leaves, graphite and black olives. It’s full-bodied with firm, tight tannins. Structured and tannic with beautiful austerity and a long, mineral and layered finish. The tannins grow on the palate. Try from 2026. RP96+96–98 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 23rd Apr 2019
The 2018 Lynch Bages is made up of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot aging in 75% new barriques. Very deep purple-black in color, the nose is quite coy and restrained to begin, fanning out to offer pure, ripe blackcurrants, black cherries and preserved plums with wafts of red roses, cigar box, incense, cardamom and fenugreek with savory touches of black olives, Marmite toast and smoked meats. Full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, with a solid foundation of very firm, very ripe, grainy tannins and superb freshness supporting the generous black fruit layers, finishing long with provocative ferrous suggestions. WE9696 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 5/1/2021
The Lynch-Bages style is unmistakeable in this wine’s richness and the density of its structure and tannins. In addition it conveys a great sense of style, restrained power and opulence. Drink this wine from 2027. VN93+93–96 pts. - Vinous - Apr 2019
The 2018 Lynch-Bages is a potent, racy wine endowed with real textural depth and intensity. Even so, it retains terrific nuance and vibrancy. All the classic Lynch-Bages signatures are present, but amped up, with huge tannins and equally huge fruit. The 2018 is going to need at least a few years to shed some of its baby fat. Today, it is decidedly rich and unctuous in style. Rose petal, lavender, mint and sweet spice add striking layers of aromatic nuance. The blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Malescot St.-Exupery
2018 / 750 ml. | Item#56701
JS9797 pts. - JamesSuckling.com - Wednesday, March 3, 2021
A seductive Margaux with an intense nose of black fruit and red plums. Some herb and wood notes, too. It’s full-bodied with pretty, pure-berry flavors with some crushed stones and cement. The texture is silky and fine-grained and the tannins melt into the wine. Precise, flavorful finish with length. Try after 2024. RP9595 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 31st Mar 2021
The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Malescot St. Exupery leaps from the glass with expressive scents of baked blackberries, Morello cherries and boysenberries with hints of blackcurrant cordial, dark chocolate, licorice and tilled soil. The medium to full-bodied palate has impressive intensity without heaviness, delivering mouth-coating black fruits and a firm, grainy texture, finishing with a refreshing earthy lift. VN9595 pts. - Vinous - Mar 2021
The 2018 Malescot Saint Exupéry is every bit as compelling as it was from barrel. Powerful and incisive, the 2018 is a driving, potent Margaux that dazzles from the first taste. Iron, smoke, new leather, licorice, pressed rose petal and cedar all open in the glass, conveying tremendous nuance and a ton of character. SP9595 pts. - Wine Spectator - Mar 31, 2021
Lovely, with gently mulled plum, blackberry and black currant fruit sailing through atop a velvety structure while mouthwatering bay, black tea and iron notes flow underneath. Seductive, detailed finish lets a sanguine note echo longest. Gorgeous wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 9,183 cases made. JD9595 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck - 3/1/2021
I loved the 2018 Château Malescot Saint Exupéry from barrel two years ago, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint from bottle today. Based on 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this deeply hued beauty boasts smoking good notes of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and spice. Full-bodied and impressively concentrated, it has a stacked mid-palate, ripe, sweet yet certainly present tannins, a terrific sense of freshness, and a great finish. It’s going to fun comparing this and the 2016 over the coming two decades! While there’s some up-front accessibility and charm here, it really needs 4–6 years of bottle age and is going to have 20–25 years of overall longevity. This is gem of a wine that’s well worth seeking out. (Jeb Dunnuck) WE9393 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 5/1/2021
This is a fruity and structured wine. With its dusty tannins and promising firm core, it has the texture for aging. Fruitiness gives it the potential to mature into a poised and sophisticated wine. Drink from 2026.Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
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- Château Margaux
2000 / 750 ml. | Item#17834
RP100100 pts. - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 30th Apr 2003
Bottled in late November, 2002, the 2000 has turned out to be a colossal example of Chateau Margaux that is tasting even better from bottle than it was from cask. Only 40% of the crop made it into this 2000 Margaux, a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The 2000 possesses a saturated ruby/purple color to the rim as well as an extraordinarily promising nose of creme de cassis intermixed with white flowers, licorice, and hints of espresso and toasty oak. There is great intensity, compelling purity, a multi-layered, full-bodied palate, and a finish that goes on for nearly 70+ seconds. Bottled naturally, with no filtration, it is a monumental example of the elegance and power that symbolize this extraordinary vineyard. A tour de force in winemaking, many of my colleagues predicted, far earlier than me, that it would be the “wine of the vintage.” It is certainly one of the wines of the vintage, but there is plenty of competition, even at this lofty level of quality. Absolutely awesome! Anticipated maturity: 2012–2050. WE100100 pts. - Wine Enthusiast - 12/1/2003
If a wine can ever be perfect, this is as perfect as a wine can get. Right from the beginning this was the wine of the vintage, and nothing has changed. Margaux was the last of the first growths to be bottled because it just needed that extra time in barrel. The wine now has huge, intense black cherry and blackberry fruits, and marvelous tannins that are sweet and powerful. To finish, the magnificent Margaux perfume of sandalwood and ripe fruit dominates, leaving an impression of finesse and power. ST9898 pts. - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar - May/Jun 2003
Penetrating, highly perfumed aromas of sappy dark berries, violet and minerals; seems less oaky today than the ’01. Offers compelling mouthfilling concentration and perfume. A wine of great power and consistency, with a pungent minerality lingering on the palate-staining finish. This somehow doesn’t flag or grow narrower even after one swallows or sips. Makes the 2002 seem almost dry in comparison. Wine-of-the-vintage material. WS9898 pts. - Wine & Spirits - December 1, 2003
Paul Pontallier happened upon the 2000 vintage at Margaux, having prepared the vines since 1983, and having gained a certain level of intimacy with their produce over the years. He doesn’t take credit for the particular balance of water retention in the soils at Margaux, for the light rains that refreshed the vines in August, though he can take some credit for knowing how to manage those vines and when to pick them. For without his history at the château, the 2000 vintage might have been merely great. But there’s something of his spirits in this wine, along with the essence of the Margaux vineyard, the glint of the soil and the grandeur of the building, which taken together will stop you in your tracks. SP95+95–100 pts. - Wine Spectator - Jun 30, 2001
[Barrel tasting] Black ruby in color, with violet and raspberry aromas and hints of currant and spices. Super, full-bodied, with thick, polished tannins. Should be chewy, and it is. But it remains fine and classy. Another 1995? I can’t give more than 100 points.Primary Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon | All Grapes: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon
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