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 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 - Bordeaux - St.-Emilion
WS 92-94
WA 94
ST 92
Sweet and refined, with a full yet racy structure. Medium- to full-bodied, with tobacco, berry and cherry character. Long, silky finish. Very pretty. Score range: 92-94
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - St.-Emilion
WS 89-91
WA 91
ST 91
Lots of smoky, ripe fruit in this young red. Full-bodied, with a soft and fine tannin structure and good fruit. Slightly hollow center-palate, but well-done. Score range: 89-91
Varietal: Tannat | Location: France - South West France - Madiran
WS 94
Until Château Montus owner Alain Brumont arrived from nearby Bordeaux in the 1980s, the once proud appellation of Madiran had been all but forgotten. The region's indigenous Tannat grape produces a stunningly powerful and distinctive "black wine," with oodles of ripe, dark, peppery fruit that is absolutely delicious. Château Montus, owner of virtually all of the best vineyards of the appellation, was widely acknowledged as producing the very best Madiran. Yet, like other producers, Montus had not solved the vexing problem of keeping the Tannat's massive tannins from overwhelming the fruit, as it tended to do. With the help of top oenologists from Bordeaux, Brumont implemented several innovative techniques, such as malolactic fermentation in new oak barrels, and more frequent racking. These techniques have successfully tamed the Tannat's macho tannins, while preserving its marvelously dark, rich fruit.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux - St.-Emilion
WS 92-94
WA 96
Wonderful mineral and berry character, with green tobacco and cherry character. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins. Beautiful finesse and harmony. Very long finish. Exciting. Close in quality to the '00. Score range: 92-94
Varietal: Rhone Blend | Location: France - Rhone Valley - Châteauneuf-du-Pape
WS 91
WA 90
Perfumy, with dark cherry and raspberry compote notes, followed by dark currant, tar, mineral and spice flavors. Powerful, with the structure dominating the finish for now, but there's a suave sense of polish, too. Best from 2006 through 2012.
Varietal: Rhone Blend | Location: France - Rhone Valley - Châteauneuf-du-Pape
WS 88
WA 93
Delicate style of Ch'teauneuf, but attractive. Clean, pure fruit, smoke and grilled flavors. It lacks the sheer ripeness of the best '01s, but the raspy tannins should soften when it's served with the right foods. Best from 2005 through 2010. 15,000 cases made.