97
Wine Spectator
"Incredible nose of crushed berry, licorice, violets and lightly toasted oak. Pure creme de cassis. Full-bodied, with big, velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Solid. Best after 2011. 10,000 cases made."
97 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com
This is more exotic and monstrous than the 2000. It is like a muscle builder, with lots of round and rich tannins and a core of dark fruits like black cherries and blueberries. Still very young, but structured and in need of five more years. Don’t touch this until 2015.
96 Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
An incredibly fresh, lively 2003 (the pH is only 3.6 and the alcohol is 13.1%), this wine offers a dense ruby/purple color along with full body and a remarkable nose of black currants, kirsch, lead pencil shavings and vanilla. Opulent, full-bodied and close to full maturity, it is a seamless classic that will age for 15-20 more years. Kudos to the Delon family for such a brilliant achievement in a tricky vintage.
96 Clive Pursehouse - Decanter Magazine
This vintage shows great precision at four years of age, though still very young and precocious. Deep mineral tones leap from the glass, the crushed slate, smoke and bright blue fruits accented by a savoury note of garrigue and lavender. Lovely elegance on the palate as black and red berry fruits are met with an earth-driven minerality. Umami notes of dried morel mushrooms, a touch of soy and chicory lead to wisps of pencil lead. While a joy to taste so young, this wine has a long life ahead.