Varietal: Red Blend | Location: Spain - La Rioja - Rioja
Harkening back to the elegant style of the 2001, 2004, and 2006 vintages, the 2008 Banda Azul opens with a rich perfume of dark cherries and vanilla; on the palate, the authoritative Tempranillo fruit is well-seasoned by notes of spicy vanilla oak from aging in new barrels. Although fully ready to enjoy now, this wine offers a significant aging potential of 3 to 9 years.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
This lively Sauternes has good acidity which gives it great freshness and balance. At 108 grams per liter of sugar (about 10% less the "average" Sauternes) it will make a versatile food wine.
-- CW Wine Staff (April 2011)
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes - Barsac
"At 130 g/l residual, this is an unusually sweet style for this chateau. It has pronounced spicy, quite roasted and barley-sugar flavours and quite a low alcohol (13?4), whilst the acidity is quite high, all this providing a wholesome quite early-drinking wine that will certainly also not break the bank." --Bill Blatch, bordeauxgold.com
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WA 91
"Denis Dubourdieu's other Barsac estate has produced a very similarly rich (153 g/l residual) blend to his Doisy Daene, similarly styled yet with a point more obvious acidity and a softer form of middle-fruit." --Bill Blatch, bordeauxgold.com
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - Haut-Médoc
Our friend, owner Francois Nony, just keeps raising the bar at Caronne! A perennial winner, his 2010 has a nice bit of blackcurrant in the nose, with well-integrated, ripe tannins. There are attractive Medoc earth flavors that carry through into a long and elegant finish. (tasted twice including once at the chateau) -- CW Wine Staff (April 2011)
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes - Barsac
WS 97
WA 100
ST 94
Incredibly racy. Intense! Superaromatic. Honey, dried pineapple, minerals and superlush spice. Medium sweet. Electric to taste. Lasts for minutes. Score range: 95-100
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes - Barsac
WS 96
ST 92
Loads of honey, maple syrup, dried apricot and spice. Full-bodied, medium-sweet, with a refined, spicy character. Pretty wine. Masses of botrytis. This is refined and long, a racy wine compared with the power and muscle of so many others. Beauty among the beasts. Best after 2012. 2,300 cases made.