The 2009 Roussanne comes across as quite rich and textured, with plenty of overt fruit, but less aromatic complexity and overall minerality. The vintage was the third in a series of drought years and the low - perhaps excessively... Read More
The finest Beychevelle since the 2003 and probably since the 1982, Beychevelle's 2009 is opaque purple in color, with a beautiful, floral nose intermixed with black currant fruit, licorice, cedar wood and Christmas fruitcake.... Read More
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour has closed down since bottling, but it is clearly well-made with an attractive deep ruby/plum/purple color, sweet toasty oak, hints of jammy black cherries and black... Read More
The finest Canon since the 1982, the 2009 (75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc) reveals a dense blue/purple color along with a classic nose of chalk dust, blueberries, black raspberries, black currants and a touch of wood smoke.... Read More
Readers looking for the more ethereal, elegant side of Bordeaux need search no further than Cantemerle, one of the estates in the very southern end of the Medoc. Dense ruby/purple (nearly opaque), this wine offers up notes of... Read More
The 2009 Syrah Cardiac Hill is a gorgeous, thrilling wine laced with bacon fat, tapenade, savory herbs and plums. It possesses gorgeous aromatic delineation and fabulous length. The intense, mineral-drenched finish argues for... Read More
Deep garnet in color, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection comes wafting out of the glass with drop-dead gorgeous scents of Christmas cake, Chinese five spice, sandalwood and dried roses over a core of warm cassis, dried... Read More
Beautiful blueberry, black raspberry and cassis fruit as well as incense and graphite jump from the glass of this inky ruby/purple-colored wine. Ripe, medium to full-bodied, dense and rich, this is one of the stars of Moulis in... Read More
Beautiful blueberry, black raspberry and cassis fruit as well as incense and graphite jump from the glass of this inky ruby/purple-colored wine. Ripe, medium to full-bodied, dense and rich, this is one of the stars of Moulis in... Read More
A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, it displays an inky/blue/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, forest floor, licorice, lead pencil, cedar and subtle barrique smells. Viscous and full-bodied,... Read More
Gloria has long been one of the most popular wines in America, but I do not believe they have ever made better wines than they have over the last decade, and the 2009 is one of their finest. While this estate is not a classified... Read More
Performing better from bottle than it did from cask (and comparable to their wines 2005, 2000, 1990 and 1982), this is a great classic from Xavier Borie's estate situated on the back roads west of the town of Pauillac. Its... Read More
Performing better from bottle than it did from cask (and comparable to their wines 2005, 2000, 1990 and 1982), this is a great classic from Xavier Borie's estate situated on the back roads west of the town of Pauillac. Its... Read More
Probably the finest Haut-Bages Liberal since the 1982, this beautifully rich wine has an inky purple color, a big, sweet kiss of creme de cassis, incense, some background spicy oak and forest floor. Its gorgeous fruit, full-bodied... Read More
Pure sensuality in the glass, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard is going to be nearly impossible to resist in its youth. At the same time, the Kayli Morgan has a track record of developing beautifully in bottle,... Read More
From the Cote Blonde, the 2009 Cote Rotie Domaine des Pierrelles reveals classic notes of black olives, black raspberries, sweet cherries, meat and earth. Ripe and medium-bodied with sweet tannin, it comes across as structured... Read More
WA 95 (12/2012): A gorgeous, totally voluptuous wine, the 2009 Insignia bursts from the glass with exuberant blue and black fruit, grilled herbs, cloves and cassis. In 2009, the Insignia is silky and polished, yet there is considerable... Read More
The 2009 Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard is an unusually restrained wine, a Russian River Pinot. Bright red fruit, cranberries, sweet flowers and spices are some of the many notes that flow across the palate. This is one of the... Read More
Head and shoulders above its stablemate, Langoa Barton, proprietor Anthony Barton's 2009 Leoville Barton is another massive, excruciatingly rich, tannic, potentially long-aged wine. Meant for consumers with old fashioned tastes,... Read More
One of the more flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite... Read More
One of the more flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite... Read More
Very deep purple-black in color, this wine has aromas of creme de cassis, cinnamon toast, dark chocolate and vanilla pod. Medium to full bodied, rich and expressively fruity already, it has a medium to firm level of velvety tannins... Read More
Even better from bottle than it was from cask, this wine has the potential to score even higher as it evolves. Unfortunately, because the yield was only 25 hectoliters per hectare, a very small amount of wine from this 6.5-acre... Read More
A blend of 66% Shiraz and 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 Enchanted Path was matured in 97% American and 3% French oak, 85% new and 15% one year. Very deep garnet-purple, it has a great intensity of cassis, blackberry, violet... Read More
The 2009 L'Esprit des Pavots (47% Cabernet Franc, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot and Merlot) is a much smaller cuvee of 1,540 cases. One of the best second wines I have tasted from this winery, it offers... Read More