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1995 La Grange (750ml)

$65.00

Robert Parker 90

The 1995 Lagrange is similar to the 1996, but the fruit is sweeter, the acidity lower, and the wine less marked by Cabernet Sauvignon. The color is a deep ruby/purple. The wine boasts a roasted herb, charcoal, black currant, mineral, and new oak-scented nose. Medium to full-bodied and ripe, with copious quantities of jammy black cherry and cassis flavors presented in a medium-bodied, low acid, moderately tannic style, this well-endowed, purely made wine requires cellaring.

Wine Spectator 91

Licorice, blackberry and mineral undertones. Full-bodied, with silky and refined tannins. Long finish. Just about ready. Balanced and harmonious.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective.

1995 Lokoya Mt Veeder California (750ml)

$98.00

Wine Spectator 92

"A big, ripe and firmly tannic style, dense, chunky and chewy, but wade past the tannins and you'll get a glimpse of a complex, concentrated wine."

Robert Parker 91

The 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder (1,600 cases) reveals an opaque purple color, and a sumptuous, Medoc-like nose of lead pencil, minerals, black currants, and smoky oak. It is extremely full-bodied and massive in the mouth, with sweet tannin, a layered, plushly-textured mid-palate, and a firm, exceptionally long, pure finish. This classic mountain-styled Cabernet Sauvignon can be drunk now, but it will be even better with 5-7 years of cellaring. It will keep for 2 decades. Another luxury operation in the Kendall-Jackson portfolio, this winery appears to be doing everything right. The wines are 100% Cabernet Sauvignons made in limited quantities of 250-350 cases. The wines are aged in 100% French oak casks (45%-75% new), malolactic fermentation is done in barrel, and the wines are bottled with no filtration. All of these wines revealed outstanding aromatics, natural, chewy, expansive textures, and exceptionally ripe, concentrated fruit. Moreover, they are candidates for 20 or more years of cellaring. In short, I am very enthusiastic about this project.

1995 Pavie Macquin (750ml)

$85.00

Robert Parker 89

Made in a style similar to the 1996, the 1995 reveals copious quantities of black fruits, obvious old vine intensity (note the minerals and deep mid-palate), but mouthsearing levels of tannin will only be enjoyed by masochists. There are many good things about this wine, but the elevated tannin level is cause for concern. If the tannin melts away and the fruit holds, this will be an outstanding effort. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.

Wine Spectator 92

Intense blackberry aroma, with dark chocolate and vanilla. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and good fruit. Lots of wood on the palate still, but I appreciate the racy style. Tight.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective.

1995 Skewis Floodgate California (750ml)

$82.00

1996 Bacio Divino California (750ml)

$82.00

Robert Parker 92

"Another terrific offering from this producer, the 1996 Bacio Divino offers a spicy, oaky nose with notions of jammy cassis, strawberries, and cherries. Full bodied and complex, with a dominant black fruit element upstaging the new oak nuances, this fleshly, ostentatious, pure, gorgeously seductive wine will drink well for 7-8 years. Kudos to winemaker/proprietor Claus Janzen."

1996 Ca'Togni Sweet California (375ml)

$65.00

Robert Parker 92

Please note: The review below is for the 1995 version of this wine and is for information purposes only. Togni turns out tiny quantities of a sweet, jammy dessert wine made from the black "Muscat grape. This fun wine is surprisingly complex and light for its sweetness and penetrating intensity. The 1997 and 1996 Ca Tognis both offer notes of Chinese black tea, white flowers, raisins, prunes, and blackberry fruit. Moderately sweet and exceptionally pure,they are ideal apertif offerings.

1996 Canon La Gaffeliere (750ml)

List Price: ~~$95.00~~ Our Price: $82.00

$82.00

Robert Parker 90

This is one of St.-Emilion's most impressively constituted and expressive wines. From its saturated purple color, to its soaring aromatics (pain grille, jammy black fruits, chocolate, roasted coffee, and smoke), this full-bodied, meaty, chewy, powerful wine is loaded with extract, sweet tannin for the vintage, and possesses a layered, multidimensional finish. It should continue to improve for a decade, and drink well for 15-20 years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020.

Wine Spectator 93

A very fine wine. Medium ruby-garnet color. Raspberry, mineral, berry and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a silky texture. Long finish. Best ever from this estate?--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2004

1996 Clinet (750ml)

List Price: ~~$90.00~~ Our Price: $80.00

$80.00

Robert Parker 91

This is a backward, muscular, highly-extracted wine with a boatload of tannin, thus the question mark. The saturated plum/purple color is followed by an aggressively oaky nose with scents of roasted coffee, blackberries, and prunes. It is somewhat of a freak for a 1996 Pomerol given its richness, intensity, and overripe style. Medium-bodied and powerful, but extremely closed, and in need of 5-7 years of cellaring, it will be interesting to follow this wine's evolution to determine if the tannin fully integrates itself into the wine's concentrated style. If not, it will have a slight rusticity to its tannin and structure. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020. I sense this wine will be much more controversial than I had anticipated.

1996 Laurent Gevrey Chambertin Les Poissenots (750ml)

$51.00

FineWine International

"Tiny 2 hectare pemier cru located west of the village of Gevrey, Le Poissenots lies next to Estournelles St.Jacques, sits high on the hillside and is influenced by cool breezes. The wines tend toward more structure and density, allowing for better aging potential."

1996 Laurent Vosne Romanee La Croix Blanche (750ml)

$51.00

1996 Laurent Vosne Romanee Les Chaumes (750ml)

$51.00

1996 McCray Ridge California (750ml)

$50.00

Wine Spectator

Combines ripe, spicy cherry and wild berry flavors with supple, polished tannins and a sense of understated elegance and grace. Delicious enough to drink now or cellar through 2002.

1996 Mondavi Reserve California (750ml)

$95.00

Wine Spectator 95

"Rich and complex yet restrained in style, with pretty coffee, currant, black cherry, spice and anise flavors that fan out nicely, this California Cabernet turns particularly elegant and polished on the long finish."

Robert Parker 92

The 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve may be no better than the Oakville, but it is made in a slightly different style. The color is opaque purple, and the wine reveals more vanillin, a touch of mint, and plenty of black currant fruit in its moderately intense aromatics. Some of the vintage's dry tannin (from this year's stressed vineyard conditions) is present in the wine's finish. A more stylish, restrained, less exuberant example than the 1996 Oakville, it is an outstanding offering that should be consumed between 2002-2025.

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 94

"Deep ruby-red. Explosive, somewhat feral, highly aromatic nose of cassis, roast coffee, game, smoky oak and chocolate; shows a very strong torrefaction aspect. Lush, rich and deep; has a pliancy and degree of early personality I find in only the very best young California cabernets. Subtle notes of chocolate and tobacco contribute to the wine appeal. Finishes fairly tannic but very long. Distinctly more layered than the '95."

1996 Quinta do Vesuvio (750ml)

$57.00

Wine Spectator 90

Impressive. Dark purple in color, withlots of pretty plum, floral and berry aromas. Full-bodied, with very racy tannins and a long, long fruity finish.

1996 Rampolla Dei San Marco (750ml)

List Price: ~~$72.00~~ Our Price: $65.00

$65.00

Wine Spectator 91

A thoroughly caressing and delicious red. Very pretty, with rose, berry, plum and coffee aromas. Full-bodied, with soft and velvety tannins and a long, ripe fruit finish. Drink now through 2005.

1996 Seavey California (750ml)

$78.00

Robert Parker 92

The 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon is superb. This opaque purple-colored effort reveals aromas of black currants, creosote, smoke, minerals, and plums. It is full-bodied, with exquisite density and terrific fruit purity and intensity, particularly in the mid-palate and length (always good signs for wines that are meant to improve and last). There is plenty of tannin, but this is a generous, impressively endowed wine that should stand the test of several decades of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2025.

Wine Spectator 92

Firm, tight and complex, with a rich, focused band of spicy currant, mineral, plum, cherry, cedar and anise, turning rich and flavorful on the finish.

1996 Skewis Floodgate California (750ml)

$82.00

Wine Spectator 87

"Starts smooth, with ripe cherry and herbal mushroom flavors turning tart and focused on the finish. (240 cases produced)"

1996 Skewis Montgomery Vineyard California (750ml)

$82.00

1996 Turley, Aida Vineyard California (750ml)

$88.00

Wine Spectator 91

"Young and grapey, with a deep, saturated color and appealing ripe berry and cherry flavors, finishing with big, ripe tannins."

1996 Whitehall Reserve California (750ml)

$59.00

Wine Spectator 93

"Has a wonderful sense of harmony. Ripe, rich and deeply concentrated, with layers of juicy plum, black cherry, plum and spice, with a pretty toasty oak and blackberry aftertaste."

1997 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre Veronese IGT (750ml)

List Price: ~~$73.00~~ Our Price: $65.00

$65.00

Wine Spectator 92

"This Veneto red is glorious and rich, yet sophisticated. Dark ruby color, it emits aromas of raisins and berries, and hints of cocoa and spice. It's full-bodied, with chewy yet velvety tannins and a long, long finish."

Robert Parker 90

"An outstanding effort is the 1997 Palazzo della Torre. This dark ruby/purple-colored wine is full-bodied, dense, with Rhone-like beef blood and garrigue (that blend of earth and dried Provencal herbs) scents intertwined with copious quantities of black cherry and currant fruit. Rich, chewy, and impressive, it was aged in large 2,000 and 8,000 liter Slavonian wood foudres. Drink it over the next decade."

1997 Behrens & Hitchcock Ode to Picasso California (750ml)

$78.00

Robert Parker 91-93

Named after a long deceased cat, the 1997 Ode to Picasso (a blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Merlot) is far superior to the very good 1996. It reveals the winery's tell-tale aromas of blackberries, blueberries, and cassis, as well as terrific fruit intensity, a layered texture, and huge flavors. Although built like a fortress, it possesses glorious levels of fruit and plenty of power. Accessible enough to be drunk young, it will keep for 12-15+ years.

1997 Calon-Segur (750ml)

List Price: ~~$70.00~~ Our Price: $60.00

$60.00

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Medium color. Spicy aromas of black plum, currant, fresh blood, leather and herbs. Juicy but leaner than the above, with some cabernet greenness suggesting uneven ripeness. Evolving rather quickly. Decent persistence on the aftertaste.

1997 Fonseca (750ml)

$98.00

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 93+

Full saturated ruby. Inky, brooding aromas of syrupy black fruits and violet. Dense, thick and tactile, with superb depth of flavor and compelling juicy sweetness. Finishes with powrful tannins and superb grip..

Robert Parker 93

Somewhat of a lightweight for Fonseca, but undeniably charming, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine offers a floral, exotic, flamboyant bouquet, a sweet, fleshy style, but not a great deal of weight or massiveness. Heady alcohol, sweet tannin, and a velvety texture make for a gorgeous finish. While I would have preferred to have seen more weight, structure, and intensity, this is an outstanding, albeit lighter than normal Fonseca. Anticipated maturity: now-2020.

1997 Icaria Alexander Valley California (750ml)

$50.00

1997 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle (750ml)

$95.00

Robert Parker 93

"The moderately intense bouquet exhibits plenty of ripe blackberry and cherry fruit, in addition to spicy, mineral characteristics. There is considerable weight and volume, but the wine is tight, and nearly impenetrable, leaving an impression of a large deep, four-square monolith in need of 7-10 years of cellaring."

1997 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle (750ml)

$95.00

Robert Parker 93

"The moderately intense bouquet exhibits plenty of ripe blackberry and cherry fruit, in addition to spicy, mineral characteristics. There is considerable weight and volume, but the wine is tight, and nearly impenetrable, leaving an impression of a large deep, four-square monolith in need of 7-10 years of cellaring."

1997 La Rasina Brunello Di Marco Mantengoli (750ml)

List Price: ~~$93.00~~ Our Price: $79.00

$79.00

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 94

Very dark garnet. Multidimensional, perfumed nose combines nutmeg, panforte spices, mocha and mint. Quite dense and plush in the mouth, with vibrant, concentrated flavors of blackberry jam, licorice, chocolate and chestnut flavors much in evidence. The sustained finish hints at sweet vanilla cream. A complex and suave Brunello.

1997 La Torre Brunello (750ml)

List Price: ~~$92.00~~ Our Price: $85.00

$85.00

Wine Spectator 90

Fascinating aromas of allspice and ripe fruit. Full-bodied, with lots of ripe fruit and loads of coffee, berry and dried cherry character. Silky tannins.

1997 Laurent Gevrey Chambertin Craipillot (750ml)

$51.00

1997 Laurent Gevrey Chambertin Les Evocelles (750ml)

$51.00

1997 Laurent Nuits St Georges Les Richemone (750ml)

$51.00

Wine Spectator

"A surprising '97. Very dark, compacted and extracted, it offers an impressive focus of pure blackberry and red berry flavors dominated by cassis."

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

"Deep ruby-red. Very reduced on the nose. Great chocolatey richness in the mouth. An outsized, youthfully unevolved wine with huge tannic clout. Impressive but impossible to assess today. This was due for a racking."

1997 Laurent Vosne Romanee Cuvee royale (750ml)

$51.00

1997 Laurent Vosne Romanee La Croix Rameau (750ml)

$51.00

1997 Laurent Vosne Romanee Les Rouges (750ml)

$51.00

FineWine International

"Outstanding higher elevation premier cru, exhibiting pure black and red fruit flavors, with firm ripe tannins and lingering complex finish."

1997 Marilyn Merlot California (750ml)

$98.00

Wine- Maker Notes

The 1997 Marilyn Merlot is an exceptional bottle of wine. This rich Napa Valley Merlot is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, creating an impression of fullness in the mouth with a nice balance of acids and tannins and a suggestion of oak. Aromas of ripe, plump blackberry complement the lovely, lingering fruit on the finish.

1997 Newton Unfiltered California (750ml)

$55.00

Robert Parker 90

Lush, ripe, and fragrant, this forward Merlot should be accessible when released, and last for 12 or more years.

1997 Olivier-Leflaive Corton Charlemagne (750ml)

$83.00

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 90+

Subtle aromas of spiced apple and pear, complicated by vanilla, smoke and nut skin nuances. Big, appley and quite dry; currently dominated by a strong cyanic character. Youthfully tough on the finish, but with noteworthy persistence. Will require several years of aging.

1997 Pride Mountain (750ml)

$90.00

Wine Spectator 94

Dark and intense, with a solid, plush core of ripe, rich currant, black cherry, blackberry and light cedar notes. Jam-packed with flavors, it's an immense wine but beautifully balanced.

1997 Schramsberg Reserve California (750ml)

$72.00

Wine Spectator 91

Austere, but with a tight, focused beam of spicy pear, ginger and creamy vanilla, all folding together nicely, gaining complexity and nuance, with a long, elegant creamy-textured finish.

Wine Enthusiast 95

Most Americans don't think to age sparkling wine, but this is one for the long-term cellar. It's very good now and will eventually become great. Still very young at six-plus years, it brims with fresh citrusy acids, and is very dry. There's a great undertow of lush peach fruit, vanilla, bread dough and smoke that fades into a long finish. Defines elegance and class.

1997 Scopetone Brunello (750ml)

List Price: ~~$75.00~~ Our Price: $68.00

$68.00

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 86

Medium to dark garnet, with ruby highlights. Reticent aromas of sottobosco and tobacco. Rather unconvincing flavors of licorice, rhubarb and camphor, along with an unexpected and jarring note of tropical fruit. This straightforward midweight is fairly juicy, even a bit tart, and the tannins are ripe and soft. Finishes with a note that reminded me of lapsang souchong tea.

1997 Skewis Montgomery Vineyard California (750ml)

$55.00

Wine Spectator

Serves up a pretty stream of spicy wild berry and black cherry fruit accented by spice and cedar notes. Turns firm and crisp on the finish. Drink now through 2007. (250 cases produced).

FineWine International

Earthy, forest mulch, and spice on the nose. Red fruit and a supple tannins in the mouth. Lovely length. A classic mature California Pinot that is aging wonderfully.

1997 Tessier Meursault Genevrieres (750ml)

$72.00

FineWine International

"Hazelnut, pear, mineral and toasty notes, along with a long complex finish, combine to make this a classic example of Meursault at its best."

1997 Tiezzi, Enzo, Brunello (750ml)

List Price: ~~$65.00~~ Our Price: $60.00

$60.00

Wine Spectator 90

Attractive aromas of plums and cherries, with hints of flowers. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a lingering aftertaste of berries and fresh cedar. Best after 2002.

1997 Trapet Gevrey Chambertin Petit Chapelle (750ml)

$50.00

Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 87-90

"Good full red...More sauvage aromas of blackberry, plum, graphite, espresso and gibiers. Sweet, oaky and seamless; enveloping chocolate. Fat and rich. Finishes with dusty tannins and sneaky length."

1997 Turley, Aida Vineyard California (750ml)

$88.00

Robert Parker 90

"The 1997 Petite Syrah Aida Vineyard (from 80-year old vines) assaults the palate with such an overload of fruit, tannin, and extract that the taster's first impression is that this is something more than table wine. It is a massive, almost uncivilized, wildly out of control Petite Syrah that will require 10-15 years of cellaring, and last for 30 or more. I have been conservative in my judgment because the tannin nearly melted the fillings in my teeth, but this is an amazing, astonishing wine that will be fascinating to follow over the next 3-4 decades."

1997 Turley, Rattlesnake Acres California (750ml)

$78.00

Robert Parker 91

"A new offering, the 1997 Petite Syrah Rattlesnake Acres is from a 50-year old plantation of Petite Sirah. The wine's notes suggested I needed to return to my hotel to grab my floss after tasting this wine. The color is a saturated, thick black/purple. The wine reveals surprising amounts of toasty new oak in the nose (Turley only uses 25%-30% new oak). In the mouth, it is "beyond immense, massive, and gargantuan," and should be purchased only by those seeking an adventurous wine experience."

1997 Verget Chablis Valmur (750ml)

$95.00

Robert Parker 92-94

The Chablis Valmur has toasted hazelnut, eucalyptus, lemon, and stone-like aromas. It is big and delineated and has a velvety-textured, precise, and complex core of white/red berries intermingled with spiced pears and anise. It lasts long on the palate. This blockbuster is an extraordinary wine, in addition to offering further evidence of Guffens' brilliant winemaking skills. Drink it between 2001 and 2007+.

1997 Verget Meursault Charmes (750ml)

$75.00

Robert Parker 92-93

The magnificent Meursault Charmes Vieilles Vignes will provide consumers with years of pleasure. Its extremely expressive aromatics reveal earthy red fruit scents interspersed with new oak spices. On the palate, this full-bodied, broad, powerful, highly concentrated, and magnificently focused wine offers multiple dimensions of minerals, nuts, super-ripe apples, and grilled oak flavors. This huge, yet refined Meursault pleases the intellect with its purity and complexity, yet will also satisfy hedonists with its thick, chewy, and sultry depth of fruit.

1997 Verget Meursault Poruzots (750ml)

$75.00

Robert Parker 92-94

Verget's Meursault Poruzots is a work of art. Its drool-inducing nose of candied hazelnuts and lemons leads to a full-flavored and humongous personality densely packed with tropical fruits, and nuts. This wine is amazingly ripe yet has impeccable precision and balance, an anomaly given its oily, almost viscous texture. Many wines, tasted at this stage of their elevage, appear to be holding some of their components in reserve. This offering flaunts everything it has in an unabashedly sexy and voluptuous manner.