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1934 Caillou Creme De Tete (750ml)

$540.00

Michael Broadbent

4**** Vintage. Next to 1937 the best of the 1930's.

1947 Caillou Creme De Tete (750ml)

$540.00

Michael Broadbent

5***** A great ripe classic Sauterne vintage. One of the best ever.

FineWine International

It is very honeyed with a lovely deep gold color and aromas of sweet caramel and molasses. The finish is quite long. A beautiful wine over all.

1978 Taittinger Collection ( Vasarely) (750ml)

$490.00

FineWine International

The first in the Taittinger Artist series, created by Hungarian optical artist Victory Vasarely. The 1978 harvest was one of the smallest in the history of Champagne. It is the rarest of the Taittinger Artist Series. "The Taittinger Collecion Brut was assembled from 40% white Chardonnay grapes from the best vineyards in the cote des Blancs and 60% Pinot Noir harvested in the best vineyards of the Montagne de Reims. " Claude Taittinger

1990 Diamond Creek - Lake California (750ml)

$430.00

Wine Spectator 91

"Bright and lively, packed with broad currant, herb, mineral, tobacco and prune flavors that gain complexity and depth from oak shadings."

1990 La Conseillante (750ml)

$385.00

Robert Parker 97

This deep ruby/garnet-hued 1990 reveals considerable amber at the edge as well as a knock-out bouquet of cedar, kirsch, licorice, roasted herbs, and spice box. An exuberant, atypically flamboyant effort, it possesses supple texture, medium to full body, sweet fruit, plenty of glycerin, and attractive melted tannin. This wine has been delicious since birth, but additional nuances continue to develop in the bottle. Drink it over the next decade. June, 2009

Wine Spectator 94

"The pure fruit in this wine shows the true personality of the estate. Enticing nutmeg, cinnamon and fruit aromas give way to rich, silky tannins. "

Neil Martin, Wine Journal, eRobert Parker 92

Tasted at the La Conseillante vertical at Chez Bruce. This has a lovely, sensual, rustic, ferrous bouquet with touches of creme de cassis and dried flowers, wafting fragrantly from the glass in a flowing cape of warm alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with a very savoury, Cabernet Franc dominated entry, fine tannins, very well balanced with a tannic, ferrous finish the lingers beautifully with touches of sage and allspice. Lovely in an exotic way. Tasted December 2010.

1990 Perrier Jouet Fleur de Champagne (1.5L)

$395.00

Wine Spectator 94

A grand, traditional Champagne in the best sense. Full-bodied, beautifully balanced and luxuriously smooth in texture, offering subtle, complex accents of toasted almond to complement the base of fine fruit flavor.

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 92

Complex, nutty, vibrant aromas of orange peel, lemon oil, and biscuit. Very concentrated and intensely flavored; thick with extract in the style of the best '90s, but without any heaviness. Lemon and apple flavors really cling to the palate. Finishes very long and thoroughly ripe.

1995 Bollinger R.D. (1.5L)

$490.00

Wine Spectator 95

A dry, oxidative style, with wholegrain bread, ginger, roasted hazelnut and yeast notes lending complexity. Its structure comes into relief due to the dryness, but overall this is balanced and well-integrated, with a very long finish and an expansive aftertaste. Ideal with seafood and rich sauces or game birds. Drink now through 2020.

Neil Martin, Wine Journal, eRobert Parker 93

Tasted at the Bollinger RD vertical in Paris. The 1995 RD has a more exotic nose than the 1996, perhaps more similar to the 1999 RD. It takes more time to unfurl, more introspective and delicate with touches of quince, litchi and mandarin. Good definition and focus. The palate is certainly more forward than the 1996 RD, but it has a beautiful entry with subtle honey notes, dried apricot, a touch of yeast, perhaps a finer thread of acidity that renders this a more elegant RD than the 1996, but not with the same sense of thrust and power and just a tad drier towards the finish. I would be drinking this now, but would cellar the 1996. Tasted July 2011.

1995 Grange (750ml)

$360.00

Wine Spectator 97

A massive wine, majestic in its proportions,combining power and grace in equal measure. Flavors of plum, blackberry, chocolate and pepper, with hints of cedar, licorice and mint, swirl through the exotic finish. Tannins swarm but don't overwhelm the finish, which echoes all day and night.

Robert Parker 92

An impressive Grange that may ultimately prove to be underrated, like many wines from this vintage, the 1995, a blend of 94% Shiraz and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, exhibits a saturated plum/purple color and a sweet blackberry liqueur nose intermixed with cassis, licorice, and new oak. The wine is textured, jammy, full-bodied, with impressive levels of extract, glycerin, and black fruit flavors. It is long, ripe, with unobtrusive acidity and tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2018.

1996 Diamond Creek - Lake California (750ml)

$410.00

Wine Spectator 92

"This prestigious California red is ripe, smooth and elegant, with pretty black cherry, tart plum, herb and cedary oak notes that turn supple and polished. Displaying wonderful integration of fruit and tannins, it's tasty now--but it isn't for everyday drinking at this price."

1998 Pride Mountain Reserve Claret California (1.5L)

$430.00

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 92+

"Saturated purple-ruby. Restrained but complex aromas of blackberry, cassis, violet, licorice, bitter chocolate and minerals. Juicy and very firmly built; conveys a stronger impression of acidity. Black fruits complicated by mocha and dark chocolate notes. Less broad than the reserve claret but subtler and longer. Finishes with nobler tannins and slowly mounting, extremely persistent flavor."

Robert Parker 93+

"The opaque purple-colored 1998 Reserve Claret (a blend of 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot) reveals red and black fruit scents intermixed with vanilla, underbrush, and mocha/coffee. Long and opulently-textured, with lower acidity, fabulous fruit, a succulent, expansive mid palate, and a blockbuster, long finish, it is compelling stuff! Drink it over the next 12-15 years."

2000 L'Eglise Clinet (750ml)

$365.00

Robert Parker 96

The saturated ruby/purple color offers up pure fruit notes of mulberries, figs, and cassis intermixed with hints of licorice and toasty oak. Revealing great palate presence, tremendous texture, sweet tannin, relatively low acidity, and a finish that exceeds 60 seconds, I assume this wine will close down, not to reopen for nearly a decade. This is a profound example from a proprietor who has never subscribed to the new, progressive/razzle-dazzle techniques being employed by some of the cutting edge producers. Here it is low yields, ripe fruit, and non-interventionalistic winemaking at its purest. Truly spectacular, this could be another of the great classics proprietor Durantou has produced over recent years. For now, it is hard to believe it could rival or eclipse the fabulous 1998 or, for that matter, the 1995, but the 2000 has gone from strength to strength in its evolution. From bottle, it is dazzling. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2035+.

Robert Parker 97+

A stunning wine with extraordinary concentration, but still somewhat backward, this 2000 needs much more time than I projected seven years ago. It boasts an inky/dark purple color along with an intense nose of kirsch, blackberries, licorice, caramel, and flowers. Full-bodied with abundant tannin as well as a multidimensional, thick texture, this unevolved Pomerol has not changed much since its 2003 release. Gorgeous purity and a natural mouthfeel make for a dazzling wine that will benefit from another 5-10 years of cellaring, and last for three decades thereafter. It is a legendary effort! June 2010

2000 L`Evangile (750ml)

$335.00

Robert Parker 96

This fabulous L'Evangile rivals such recent great vintages as 1998, 1995, 1990, and of course, 1982. With aeration, the thick, unctuous, saturated purple color is followed by scents of blueberries, blackberries, truffles, acacia flowers, tar, and graphite. Full-bodied, with tremendous opulence, intensity, and purity as well as silky tannin and a long, powerful, concentrated finish, with a hint of cocoa/chocolate, I initially thought this was a modern-day clone of the 1975, but now I am not so sure. The 2000 is a prodigious, intense, powerful offering, but the tannins are clearly sweeter than those of the controversial 1975. I kept a bottle of this wine open for 11 days, re-corking each evening after pouring an ounce or two for evaluation. The wine simply refused to oxidize, hitting its stride on day 3, and then beginning to drop some fruit by day 8. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030+.

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 92-95

Saturated ruby. Superripe aromas of black and red fruits and dark chocolate; almost but not quite pruney. Then pliant, sweet and lush, with explosive black raspberry fruit and lots of early personality. This is downright hedonistic and deceptively soft. Finishes very long and ripe, with extremely fine tannins.

Robert Parker 98

This is an absolutely spectacular L'Evangile. It remains to be seen whether 2009 will eclipse this great effort. Largely a Merlot-dominated blend with some Cabernet Franc in it, the greatness of this terroir is exhibited in the complexity of the nose, which offers up hints of subtle chocolate, blueberry, blackberry, truffle, barbecue smoke, and graphite. Dense, rich, and full-bodied, with an opulence and succulence that are prodigious, the tannins are present but extremely sweet, and the wine multi-dimensional and just emerging as a compellingly complex, head-turning beauty. Drink it now and over the next 20-25 years. Kudos to L'Evangile. June 2010

2000 Leoville Las Cases (750ml)

$490.00

Robert Parker 99

This wine has put on weight and, as impressive as it was from cask, it is even more brilliant from bottle. Only 35% of the crop made it into the 2000 Leoville Las Cases, a blend of 76.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.4% Merlot, and 8.8% Cabernet Franc. The wine is truly profound, with an opaque purple color and a tight but promising nose of vanilla, sweet cherry liqueur, black currants, and licorice in a dense, full-bodied, almost painfully rich, intense style with no hard edges. This seamless classic builds in the mouth, with a finish that lasts over 60 seconds. Still primary, yet extraordinarily pure, this compelling wine, which continues to build flavor intensity and exhibit additional layers of texture, is a tour de force in winemaking and certainly one of the great Leoville Las Cases. In another sense, it symbolizes / pays homage to proprietor Michel Delon, who passed away in 2000. Michel has been succeeded by his son, Jean-Hubert, another perfectionist. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040.

Wine Spectator 100

The hard work and dedication of owner and director Jean-Hubert Delon have helped realize his family's dream: The 2000 Leoville Las Cases is absolutely fantastic. This is one of the most exciting young reds I have tasted in a long, long time. It shows inense aromas of berries, currants and minerals, with hints of mint. Full-bodied and packed with fruit and seamless tannins, it is refined, silky and long on the finish. A benchmark for the vintage. Best after 2012.

Neil Martin, Wine Journal, eRobert Parker 97

Tasted at Roberson?s Las-Cases vertical. The millennial Las-Cases is very well defined on the nose, although there is still a lot of oak to be resolved. Ripe blackberry and a touch of sloe, tobacco and graphite, a puff of smoke with time. Very controlled and assured, perhaps a little more generous than I expected. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, typically obdurate tannins, very masculine with tobacco and a touch of white pepper towards the finish. Tasted February 2011.

2000 Valandraud (750ml)

$375.00

Robert Parker 94

The fully mature, flamboyant, exuberant 2000 Valandraud offers beautiful notes of coffee, blackberries, sweet cherries, licorice, and smoke. Medium to full-bodied with a buffet of aromas and flavors as well as sweet tannin and a plush, succulent mouthfeel, this is a terrific effort from proprietor Thunevin. It should drink well for another 8-10 years.

Wine Spectator 93

This is really exciting, with dark chocolate, berry, grilled meat and cedar. Full-bodied and silky, with lovely berry and mineral character. Goes on for quite a while. Best from Valandraud yet. Best after 2008. ?JS

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 92

Bright medium ruby. Roasted aromas of blackberry, black raspberry, cherry, lead pencil and espresso, plus an exotic suggestion of peach. Thick and impressively concentrated, with lovely clarity of berry and cherry flavors thanks to firm acidity. Full, deep, lush and very long, with thoroughly ripe, sweet tannins suffusing the entire palate. This has the best mouth coverage of any of Thunevin 2000s.

2001 Bryant Family California (750ml)

$295.00

Robert Parker 91

"The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits the classic Bryant bouquet of melted creosote intermixed with blackberry liqueur and other black fruits. It is medium to full-bodied, opulent and sumptuous, but the finish is shorter, with drier tannin than it would have had if it had been bottled unfiltered. Give it 3-5 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 10-15 years."

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 93-96

Good full deep medium ruby. Aromas of kirsch, cassis, bitter chocolate and licorice; extremely primary yet hints at almost exotic ripeness. Wonderfully sweet, intensely flavored and bright; dense, sharply delineated and seamless. This hasn't really expanded yet in barrel and thus is not yet showing its flesh. But this young cabernet's solid structure and outstanding persistence suggest that it may ultimately surpass my current projected range. 93-96 points

2001 Hundred Acre, Kayli Morgan Vyd. California (750ml)

$250.00

Robert Parker 96

This seamless, sexy, opulent 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan resembles a Merlot-based Pomerol more than a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Jayson Woodbridge?s brilliant effort exhibits abundant notes of plums, kirsch, black currants, licorice, incense and subtle smoky oak. With fabulous fruit, a seductive, seamless, almost haute couture personality, excellent purity and texture as well as a multidimensional style, it is in a magical place at age ten where it should continue to remain for another 10-15 years.

2002 Hundred Acre, Kayli Morgan Vyd. California (750ml)

List Price: ~~$380.00~~ Our Price: $335.00

$335.00

Robert Parker 98

"As for the 2002 Hundred Acre (1,200 cases), this is a terrific example of great Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. A seamless wine with extraordinary concentration, a dense purple color, a beautifully sweet nose of black cherry liqueur intermixed with cassis, graphite, smoke, and underbrush, it is layered, multi-dimensional, and opulent, with a long finish. Although more accessible and flashy than the 2001, it is capable of lasting 15 more years."

2002 Kistler, Cuvee Elizabeth Occidental Vineyard California (750ml)

$245.00

Robert Parker 95

Kistler's daughter gets her name on the 250-case lot of 2002 Pinot Noir Occidental Vineyard Cuvee Elizabeth. This wine is spectacular, and while I don�t like to choose between daughters, it gets a slight nod over the Cuvee Catherine because it just seems to have a few more layers of flavor crammed into its medium to full-bodied personality. Wonderfully floral, raspberry, and kirsch notes emerge from this wine, which also shows a touch of toast, some crushed stony, rocky notes, and beautiful texture and vibrant acidity. I wouldn�t be surprised to see this wine age effortlessly for 10-15 years. It is certainly a terrific Pinot Noir which, as I said last year, comes across as California�s Musigny.

2003 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a J. Perrin (750ml)

$410.00

Robert Parker 95

The 2003 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin has turned out even better than I thought last year. Black purple to the rim, with an extraordinary nose of smoke, camphor, blackberry, cassis, sweet cherry, white flowers, licorice, and Chinese black tea, the wine has superb richness, huge tannins, massive concentration, and a monster finish. Forget this wine for 5-8 years and drink it over the following 35 or more.

2003 Colgin, Cariad California (750ml)

$305.00

Robert Parker 95

"Colgin's Bordeaux-styled proprietary blend, the 2003 Cariad (a 520-case blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc - a change from barrel), is a wine of extraordinary elegance and sweetness. With an inky/blue/purple color, high tannin, superb intensity, and hints of blueberries, spice box, new saddle leather, and licorice, this rich, impeccably well-balanced, full-bodied 2003 will be drinkable early in life, but promises to last for several decades."

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 94

"Good deep ruby-red. Aromas of blackcurrant, licorice, mocha and menthol offer great lift. Then superripe and densely packed, with great sweetness and inner-mouth aromatic character. The flavors of black cherry and leather are given definition by a strong element of liquid stone. Finishes extremely long, with lush, suave tannins."

2003 Colgin, Lamb Vineyard California (750ml)

$260.00

Robert Parker 94

The inky/purple-colored 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Herb Lamb Vineyard (230 cases) offers up sweet aromas of roasted herbs, scorched earth, chocolate, and smoky cassis. Its rich, full-bodied mouthfeel, moderately high tannin, and sweet, heady finish suggest it will be at its finest between 2006-2020.

2003 Colgin, Tychson Vineyard California (750ml)

$275.00

Robert Parker 96

From a vineyard situated west of Highway 27, essentially across the street from perennial underachiever, Freemark Abbey, the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill possesses a noble floral-infused blueberry and creme de cassis, camphor, and graphite-scented nose. Rich, perfumed, full-bodied, and moderately tannic, it needs 3-4 years of bottle age, and should age well for 20-25 years.

2003 Paul Hobbs To-Kalon California (750ml)

$365.00

Robert Parker 97

After the perfect 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard (that�s right, I raised my score by a point), the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To-Kalon comes across as slightly more mortal. One of the outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons of the vintage, it tastes like a California concoction of La Mission Haut Brion and Montrose. Its deep purple color is followed by a sumptuously pure nose of sweet scorched earth, hot rocks, creme de cassis, graphite, and charcoal. The tannin is sweet, but elevated. Full-bodied and powerful, with 20-25 years of life, this spectacularly rich, dense, multi-layered effort oozes classic Cabernet Sauvignon varietal character.

2004 Araujo Eisele California (750ml)

$350.00

Wine Spectator 95

Massive yet smooth and polished, with a subdued offering of ripe plum, floral and black cherry fruit that slowly builds intensity and depth. Gains momentum on the finish, where the tannins are ripe and the flavors are tapered.

Robert Parker 94

The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard shows surprisingly more tannin than the 2005. Perhaps it is at the stage where it has been in the bottle for about a year and is beginning to shut down ever so slightly. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the wine has a dense ruby/purple color and some sweet and spicy notes intermixed with white chocolate, black currant, crushed rock, and some underbrush and floral scents. It is medium to full-bodied, firmly structured, and reminiscent of a top first- or second-growth Bordeaux because of the tannin structure and austerity. It is an interesting, almost atypical wine for this vintage in Napa, but the Eisele Vineyard is a world unto its own, so I am not actually surprised.

2004 Colgin IX Estate California (750ml)

$410.00

Robert Parker 98

The 2004 IX Proprietary Red Wine (1,258 cases from a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot) is amazing out of bottle. Flamboyant, super-fragrant aromas of graphite, creme de cassis, espresso roast, flowers, and the entire black and blue fruit spectrum jump from the glass of this gorgeous wine. In the mouth, silky tannin and a multi-dimensional, skyscraper-like mouthfeel are offered without heaviness or coarseness. This totally profound wine exhibits what a great site, extraordinary winemaking, and a commitment to excellence can produce. It should drink well for two decades.

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 96

"Flamboyant aromas of black fruits, licorice, smoke, crushed stone, black tea, lavender and wild sage. Sweet, lush and densely packed, with the wild character following through in the mouth. This comes across as a bit less oaky than the estate's other cabernet-based wines, which are aged entirely in Taransaud barrels (this one is about three-quarters Taransaud). The higher percentage of franc here adds freshness, as well as notes of black tea and rustic herbs. Energetic and firmly built, but quite backward in the context of the vintage. Still, there's terrific fruit here..."

2005 Araujo Eisele California (750ml)

$262.00

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 95

Good full red-ruby color. Wonderful floral lift to the expressive aromas of blackcurrant, black raspberry, tobacco, graphite and nutty oak. Dense, thick and sweet but with perfectly integrated acidity framing the deep flavors of currant, tobacco, mocha and earth. Finishes broad, dusty and very long, with the tannins thoroughly buffered by the wine's mid-palate fruit. This boasts real density of extract without any undue heaviness and offers the balance and backbone for a long and positive evolution in bottle. Very long on personality.

Robert Parker 98+

From their 40+ acres of vineyard in the very northeasterly sector of Napa, just south of the quaint town of Calistoga, anywhere from 1,600 to 2,200 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard are produced. The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele (a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot) shows wonderfully sweet black currant notes intermixed with some licorice, incense, crushed rock, and floral characteristics. It is deep, medium to full-bodied, with beautiful purity, virtually perfect integration of tannins, and extraordinary length which lasts over 60 seconds. This is an exceptional, seamless Cabernet Sauvignon that is the vinous equivalent of haute couture. This sensationally pure wine (actually the first vintage of the estate Cabernet to have a little Merlot in it, but only 2%) borders on perfection. This is a gorgeously proportioned wine with beautiful floral and black fruit notes intermixed with some mineral and gentle background oak.

2005 Bryant Family California (750ml)

$490.00

Robert Parker 90-92

The 2005 continues to exhibit a European-styled finesse, elegance, and a certain austerity. The wine also shows considerable new oak, lots of acidity, which is almost atypical for this vineyard site, and a deep ruby/purple color with notes of cedar, bay leaf, cigar box, and copious quantities of black currant liqueur. It is a streamlined, classic, but slightly austere style for Bryant. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.

Wine Spectator 94

Elegant and stylish, with ripe, vivid black cherry, currant, wild berry and black olive flavors that gain depth and vibrancy, picking up body and complexity and ending with a long, lingering finish that keeps repeating the fruit and cedary oak themes.

2005 Colgin, Tychson Vineyard California (750ml)

$360.00

Robert Parker 96+

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill, from that gently sloping vineyard just north of St. Helena, has a dense purple color like the other wines, and a beautiful nose of crushed rocks and pure, floral-infused black currant fruit interwoven with espresso and pain grille. The wine is dense, medium to full-bodied, with beautiful tannin, silky, expansive texture, and a long finish. Unfortunately, there are less than 300 cases of this wine, which requires 2-3 years of bottle age, and should drink well for 20-25 years.

Wine Spectator 97

An open-throtle Napa cabernet. Supple, creamy and layered, with pure currant, black cherry, and plum flavors.

2006 Leflaive Batard Montrachet Batard Montachet (750ml)

$370.00

Allen Meadows, Burghound 92-95

Quite surprisingly, this is aromatically more elegant, at least at present with green apple, citrus blossom and subtle wood influence that is picked up by the big, rich, powerful and driving flavors that are actually no more concentrated but there is better depth, more minerality and a bit more length. Impressive.

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 92

Subtly complex nose combines peach, apple, pear, minerals, hazelnut and smoke. Explosively fruity in the mouth, with firm acidity and brisk citrus flavors giving the mid-palate terrific focus and lift. As rich as this is, it conveys a lovely light touch. Finishes firmly structured, vibrant and very long. A very good year for this style.

Wine & Spirits 94

This starts seemingly simple, an elegant chardonnay with tart apple flavors and mild richness. As the wine takes on air, the texture grows increasingly silken while complexities emerge in bosky, fresh pear skin and subtle earth flavor. There's nothing obvious about it, except it has a long evolution in bottle ahead.

Wine Spectator 95

Solid and compact right now, this is a powerful, concentrated white, showing a chalk flavor under the butter and apricot. Gathers spead across the palate, building to a long finish. Needs time to integrate and realzie its full potential.

Wine Enthusiast 97

2006 Leflaive Bienvenues Batard Montrachet Bienvenue Batard Montrachet (750ml)

$340.00

Allen Meadows, Burghound 91-94

Here the nose is quite similar to that of the Pucelles, particularly with its honeysuckle and citrus aromas that are perhaps ever so slightly less ripe while leading to rich, concentrated and slightly more focused and delineated medium full flavors that explode on the palate staining finish. I like the energy here as well as the underlying sense of harmony of expression.

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 93+

Subtly complex nose combines peach, apple, pear, minerals, hazelnut and smoke. Explosively fruity in the mouth, with firm acidity and brisk citrus flavors giving the mid-palate terrific focus and lift. As rich as this is, it conveys a lovely light touch. Finishes firmly structured, vibrant and very long. A very good year for this style.

2006 Vogue Bonnes Mares (750ml)

List Price: ~~$430.00~~ Our Price: $395.00

$395.00

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 93

Deep, bright red. Blueberry, licorice, violet, menthol and fresh herbs on the nose, with a medicinal reserve. The rather backward medicinal character follows through on the palate, but there's also a deeply seductive, succulent quality to this grand cru's very fresh dark fruit and spice flavors. The building tannins are supported by the wine's lush middle palate. Finishes fresh, stylish and long.

Allen Meadows, Burghound 94

This too is quite restrained with almost exclusively red berry fruit and intense floral aromas that are high-toned and pure while complementing the supple, textured, dusty and extremely precise flavors that exude a quiet power on the brooding and linear finish that delivers outstanding length. This will require every bit of a decade to resolve the very firm structure. This is less elegant than the 1er but more powerful and the distinguishing character of the '06 Bonnes Mares is the serenity that it projects. I thought that it would be good but this knocks on the door of being genuinely great.