"The bottled 2005 Beau Sejour Becot confirms that this is the finest effort from this estate in the thirty years I have been covering Bordeaux. A classic blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, it is an intense, full-bodied St.-Emilion r (more...)

"The inky/blue/purple-tinged 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Fiancee, a modern take on the appellation, is a blend of equal parts Grenache and barrique-aged Syrah. Its full-bodied bouquet exhibits scents of blackberry liqueur, smoky pain grille, licorice, tar, and spice. (more...)

"Light gold with a strong mousse Exotic, pungent aromas of white peach, tangerine, jasmine, green tea and chalky minerals. Steely and sharply focused, with a brisk quality to the ripe citrus flavors and an exotic smoky/leesy complexity. Seizes up a bit on the back (more...)

"For those not lucky or rich enough to purchase the 2000 Cheval Blanc, there is an alternative ... the 2000 Le Petit Cheval. This offering has often been an afterthought, but the 2000 possesses some of its bigger sibling's character. A blend of equal parts Merlot a (more...)

"The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes (88% Grenache, 7% Mourvedre, and 5% Syrah, with only 5,000 bottles produced) is one of the vintage's most profound wines. Inky ruby/purple to the rim, with a nose of incense, melted licorice, asphalt, blackberry, and bl (more...)

"The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul (85% Grenache and equal parts Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault) tips the scales at a prodigious 15.8% alcohol. Half of the wine is aged in neutral wood foudres and the other half in tank prior to being bottled unfined (more...)

"This wine has just begun to reveal its true personality, having under-performed for most of its life. In half-bottles it is close to maturity, but in 750ml bottles, it still needs another 4-5 years of cellaring (at least those that were purchased in pristine condi (more...)

"The 1998 is an extraordinary effort, and from a purely hedonistic standpoint, probably my favorite Jacques Perrin (no doubt because of the high percentage of Grenache). It is an intense, full-bodied wine filled with notes of kirsch liqueur as well as an incredibly (more...)

"Vieux Donjon's 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape is a powerful, seriously-endowed effort for the vintage, displaying more structure and muscle than most wines in this forward, fruit-friendly year. Classic Provencal characteristics of garrigue, licorice, lavender, pepper, a (more...)

"Good red-ruby. Complex nose combines red cherry, raspberry, woodsmoke and cinnamon. Sweet, silky and dense, with enticing flavors of strawberry and exotic spices. Remarkably large-scaled and generous for the year, and long and ripe on the back end, with suave, fin (more...)

"An exquisite jewel in Chantal and Gerard Perse’s Right Bank empire, Bellevue-Mondotte is a tiny, 5-acre parcel of 45-year-old vines planted on the limestone plateau above Pavie-Decesse and Pavie-Macquin. It is composed of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Ca (more...)

"The possible perfection of this effort is not surprising given the way proprietor Bernard Magrez has been upgrading all of his estates, especially his flagship property, Pape-Clement. Over the last decade there has been a succession of brilliant wines from this te (more...)

"This wine has just begun to reveal its true personality, having under-performed for most of its life. In half-bottles it is close to maturity, but in 750ml bottles, it still needs another 4-5 years of cellaring (at least those that were purchased in pristine condi (more...)

"Truly compelling, the 2001 La Vina de Andres Romeo emerges from a single vineyard called La Liende. It boasts an inky/ruby/purple color in addition to a huge nose of graphite, black currants, cherry liqueur, licorice, cedar, and spice box. Powerful, rich, full-bod (more...)

"An extraordinarily powerful, backward wine with unlimited up-side potential, the opaque plum/purple/black-colored 1982 Gruaud-Larose exhibits an explosive nose of new saddle leather, plums, prunes, black cherry jam, chocolate, steak tartare, and roasted espresso. (more...)

"Space limitations preclude including tasting notes."

"The 1998 Chateau Yquem was released several months ago. This estate does not allow tasting from cask (where the wine spends 42 months), and it is not released until five years after the vintage. The (more...)

"Conterno’s 2000 Barolo Riserva Monfortino explodes from the glass with a luxurious, expansive personality that leaves me speachless. Endowed with generous ripe fruit, it is a seamless, seductive Monfortino that possesses incredible length as well as purity in a (more...)

"A shade more elegant and refined than the '94, yet sharing the delicious range of flavors, with bright black cherry, plum and floral notes. Turns smooth and polished.--Opus One vertical. Best from 2003 through 2014. 30,000 cases made."

"What Romeo has achieved in the challenging 2002 vintage is impressive. The very limited production 2002 Contador (100% old vine Tempranillo) reveals great purity and texture as well as that nobility and stature found in all of the world's most profound wines. I'll (more...)