Fine Wine > Bordeaux > 92-95 Pts

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"The opaque purple-hued 2006- only 40% of the crop made it into the final blend- exhibits a personality that mimics the superb 1996. Classic aromas of sweet black raspberries, kirsch, cassis, and subtle toasty oak are followed by a full-bodied, concentrated wine displaying moderately high tannin...

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Not surprisingly, Leoville Las Cases has produced another classic, potentially long-lived wine in 2006. Among the St.-Juliens, it, Ducru Beaucaillou, and Leoville Barton possess the potential for the greatest longevity. Interestingly, when I visited this chateau in January, proprietor Jean-Hubert..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"The blend for the 2009 Pichon Lalande is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, somewhat unusual at this estate which usually has more Merlot in the blend. As stated previously, the Cabernet Sauvignon reached levels of ripeness and intensity of flavor in 2009 never seen before in Bordeaux! The final..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"The dense ruby/purple-hued 2006 Palmer reveals sweet aromas of melted licorice, underbrush, toast, plums, and black cherries. Outstanding density, a medium to full-bodied style, and a personality that recalls 1996, this blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot possesses moderately high..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Along with Lafite Rothschild, Ausone, and l'Eglise Clinet, Pavie is one of the wines of the vintage. An inky/purple color is accompanied by notes of creme de cassis, kirsch, graphite, and toast. A massive wine for the vintage, the 2007 Pavie is very full-bodied with extraordinary intensity, power,..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"The 2006 Pavie, a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, is cropped low as the viticultural work is impeccable, the winemaking is thoroughly Burgundian in style, and bottling is accomplished with no fining or filtration. With over 90 acres in vine, this is one of the..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Dark, rich and deeply concentrated. California-like, with its opulent coffee, herb, cedar, currant, coffee, mineral and spice flavors. Reaching a nice drinking plateau, ... has substance, depth and a long, full finish."

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"Made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, this is a huge, backward wine. The 1996 possesses an opaque purple color, as well as pure aromatics consisting of cassis, grilled herbs, coffee, and toasty new oak. Massive in the mouth, and one of the most structured and concentrated young Cos..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"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 revealing notes of espresso roast,..

Cellar/Tasting Notes
"The structured, pure, focused 2006 Valandraud offers hints of white chocolate, coffee beans, black currants, cherries, and underlying camphor as well as earth. Outstanding ripeness, medium body, and a highly structured, tannic style is broodingly backward at present. It tasted as if malolactic had..