Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon | Location: United States - California - Napa
A big, mouth filling wine, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, shows the personality of the vintage in its intense fruit. There is plenty of underlying structure in this deep, resonant Cabernet Sauvignon. Mint, flowers and sweet red berries are some of the nuances that are woven into the finish. This is far from an easygoing Napa Cabernet. Although delicious today, it should drink well for a number of years. Another year or so in bottle should help the elements come together even more fully. The 2010 is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.
Varietal: Chardonnay | Location: United States - California - Napa
WA 89
In the glass, this wine has a classic Chardonnay hue of pale golden straw. The bouquet draws you in with delicate nuances of wet stones, lichee, white peach, orange blossoms, and a slight hint of toasted almonds. The palate is soft and fleshy and loaded with bright citrus tones of sweet mandarin and Meyer lemon, white nectarine and rich tropical notes of guava, pineapple, and lichee – all complemented by subtle sweet oak. There is a delicate smoothness to this Chardonnay and fantastic weight throughout. This is the wine you’ll want to bring to the next big dinner party or business lunch– get ready to accept the kudos.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Margaux
We discovered Paveil de Luze about five years ago and we're glad we did. A great value for a top quality Margaux, this classy 2009 is rich and elegant with great concentration and balance.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Pauillac
WS 90
"Vibrant, racy and long, this supervivid red has great cut, with raspberry, red currant and iron notes. Pure and stylish, with a lovely floral hint hanging on the finish. Bravo on the turnaround going on here."
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - St.-Estèphe
WA 89
Another sleeper of the vintage in this magical year, this sexy, fat, luscious St.-Estephe is a blend of 50% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich and succulent, with loads of black fruit intermixed with licorice and incense, this wine is very low in acidity and has very ripe tannins. It should drink nicely for up to a decade. (A member of the Association of Crus Bourgeois du Medoc.)
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Médoc
WE 91
WA 89
This fairly priced Medoc from Jean-Hubert Delon (the proprietor of Leoville-Las-Cases) has hit almost 14% natural alcohol and looks to be the best wine made at this estate since 1982, which drank well for 15 years and cost about $4.00 a bottle in that era. Crisp, mineral notes intermixed with mulberry, black cherry and black currant fruit jump from the glass of this classic Bordeaux, which is both powerful and elegant. There is considerable substance to the wine, with its attractive texture and overall sense of precision and elegance. This is a sleeper of the vintage not to be missed. Anticipated maturity: now-2022. Read More
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WA 94
"This is a positive, strong-flavoured wine, with loads of chunky fatness coming out of the S?millon and with the botrytis strongly apparent in the form of quite heavy glycerine. At 138 g/l residual, it is on a par with many others, but it has not been fermented out beyond 13?8, procuring a very fine honeyed texture and avoiding excess of power, so the result is gentle for such a flavourful wine. In addition, there is a good acid balance that stitches it all up nicely.
As at Fargues, this will be kept in barrel longer than others, so will certainly soften a little more during its ?levage. Quite clearly this ch'teau kept right on top of the botrytis."Bill Blatch
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WA 94
"This is a positive, strong-flavoured wine, with loads of chunky fatness coming out of the S?millon and with the botrytis strongly apparent in the form of quite heavy glycerine. At 138 g/l residual, it is on a par with many others, but it has not been fermented out beyond 13?8, procuring a very fine honeyed texture and avoiding excess of power, so the result is gentle for such a flavourful wine. In addition, there is a good acid balance that stitches it all up nicely.
As at Fargues, this will be kept in barrel longer than others, so will certainly soften a little more during its ?levage. Quite clearly this ch'teau kept right on top of the botrytis."Bill Blatch
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WA 95
Tasted single blind against its peers. The Rayne-Vigneau has blossomed gloriously in bottle and performed outrageously well under blind conditions. It has a rich, decadent bouquet with wild heather honey, orange peel and a touch of lime. The palate is very well-balanced with immense purity and brilliant tension. The acidity is pitch perfect here, with wonderful poise towards the finish and hints of elderflower on the aftertaste. This has class from start to finish and should age with panache. Tasted January 2011.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WA 95
Tasted single blind against its peers. The Rayne-Vigneau has blossomed gloriously in bottle and performed outrageously well under blind conditions. It has a rich, decadent bouquet with wild heather honey, orange peel and a touch of lime. The palate is very well-balanced with immense purity and brilliant tension. The acidity is pitch perfect here, with wonderful poise towards the finish and hints of elderflower on the aftertaste. This has class from start to finish and should age with panache. Tasted January 2011.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WS 95
WA 96
"Unlike many, the assemblage was made back in January, so the wine is maybe more relaxed at this stage than those samples made up from the different lots, still apart in the cellar. This is also the first year of the new estate manager Vincent Laberg?re, taking the place of Patrick Eymery who retires in June, and he seemed keen to make a statement with this his first vintage. Rayne Vigneau has tended towards a lighter style recently, and this 2009 is a resolute return to something richer, with a more concentrated mouth-feel and 160 g/l of residual. But it is also bursting with fresh fruit aromas, from the higher than usual proportion of Sauvignon (28%) and from the absolute purity of the early October botrytis. The result is a densely sweet but highly 'tensile? and absolutely pure Rayne Vigneau."
Bill Blatch
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WS 92
WE 96
WA 95
You get both apricots and honeyed botrytis aromas that are followed through by a dry core, very full-bodied with richness, the sweetness of the yellow jam fruits, apricots and mangoes gliding over the palate. Delicious, and certainly ageworthy. Read More