2000 Red Blend

Two bottles were badly corked, which is certainly a scary situation for a wine where only 1,000 or so cases were produced. However, a third bottle was magical and just short of perfection. Its saturated purple color was followed... Read More

This was the breakthrough vintage for this fabulous terroir that had been under-exploited for so many years. A collaboration between Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt, this medium to full-bodied, pure blend of 80% Merlot... Read More

Deep ruby/purple in color, with a sweet nose of black currants, earth, licorice, and mineral, the 2000 is relatively powerful and dense for the normally restrained and elegant Beychevelle. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and chewy,... Read More

A saturated purple color offers up notes of graphite, plum, raspberry, and blueberry fruit in that distinctive Branaire style. Always a singular wine, even for St.-Julien, the wine boasts superb purity, rich, medium to full-bodied... Read More

Everyone at the tasting where this wine was presented was rocked (or should I say shocked) by the greatness of this wine. It needs no defense. I rated it 96 seven years ago, and it comes from a beautiful vineyard in Pessac-Leognan... Read More

Back when my bottle reports came out in 2003, I urged extreme patience for this wine, which is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. I projected a maturity curve of 2012-2040, but based on this... Read More

This is a triumphant 2000, flamboyant, super-concentrated, yet classic in proportions. Lavish notes of roasted espresso, melted chocolate, creme de cassis, toasty new oak, and Asian spices jump from the glass of this sensationally... Read More

A brilliant second wine, the 2000 Carruades de Lafite (51.4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42.3% Merlot, 4.9% Cabernet Franc, and 1.4% Petit Verdot), aged in 10-15% new French oak, shows wonderfully sweet lead pencil shavings intermixed... Read More

Consumers should take a look at the 2000 Chapelle d'Ausone. This wine is priced at 10% of its bigger sibling. The tightly-structured, mineral-infused 2000 Chapelle d'Ausone exhibits outstanding concentration as well as... Read More

A classic, muscular, rich yet elegant effort made in a medium to full-bodied, concentrated style, the 2000 Chasse-Spleen possesses abundant quantities of minerals, earth, black cherry, and cassis fruit. It will need 4-5 years... Read More

Absolutely compelling in two tastings of this vintage, the 2000 Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The extraordinary seductiveness, complex aromatics, and purity it exhibits lead me to believe it has... Read More

Absolutely compelling in two tastings of this vintage, the 2000 Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The extraordinary seductiveness, complex aromatics, and purity it exhibits lead me to believe it has... Read More

Coming out of a relatively dormant state, this 2000 is a spectacular Cheval Blanc. Of recent vintages, I think only the 2009 can give it a run for its money. A blend of 53% Merlot and 47% Cabernet Franc, the wine has a sweet nose... Read More

Beautiful aromas of plums, soy, black currants, black raspberries, espresso, and spring flowers jump from the glass of this perfumed, dense plum/ruby/purple-tinged Pomerol. Medium to full-bodied and pure with sweet tannin and... Read More

Starts off a bit earthy, but then turns to lovely ripe, almost decadent fruit. Full-bodied, with soft and round tannins and a long, refreshing finish. A beauty. This is really good for Clos Fourtet. Best after 2006. 4,580 cases... Read More

Seven years ago I said this was a monumental wine, and at two different recent tastings, it was a true star of the vintage. Its stunning dark plum color offers up notes of caramelized red and black fruits, toffee, smoke, Asian... Read More

Showing some lightening at the edges as well as some amber, this is the least impressive of the greatest vintages for Cos d'Estournel between 2000 and 2009. It is an outstanding wine, but it is closer to maturity and lacking... Read More

The outstanding 2000 exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as a glorious nose of creosote, licorice, blackberry and cassis liqueur, medium to full body, tremendous texture, and impressive ripe fruit. It was bottled unfined... Read More

A stunning wine from Ducru Beaucaillou which showcases its great terroir, this elegant but substantial 2000 has a dense purple color that has hardly budged since it was first bottled. Displaying a floral note, with hints of boysenberries,... Read More

Dourthe, and more particularly its president, Jean-Marie Chadronnier, have produced a tremendously elegant, rich, concentrated 2000 that has to be tasted to be believed. Supple tannin, low acidity, and gorgeous levels of pure,... Read More

Figeac has become a more consistent wine over the last few years. A profound effort, the surprisingly full-bodied 2000 Figeac has an opaque purple color accompanied by a terrific bouquet of camphor, graphite, black currants, licorice,... Read More

Probably the finest Giscours made since the 1975, this black/purple-colored 2000 offers up terrific notes of camphor, creosote, blackberry, and cassis jam intermixed with notions of smoke and earth. Spicy, with low acidity, a... Read More

An excellent complex, evolved, and deliciously fruity effort, this medium-bodied 2000 exhibits sweet, herb-tinged, cassis fruit, cedar, and spice box notes along with abundant glycerin and flesh. This well-endowed Gloria should... Read More

The 2000 Grand Puy Lacoste is even better than such recent vintages as 2005 and 2009. A broad, classic, large-scaled effort, it boasts a deep blue/purple color as well as tell-tale notes of creme de cassis, subtle smoke, flowers,... Read More

A very strong effort for Gruaud Larose, possibly eclipsed by what they have done in 2009, this is a pure, full-bodied Gruaud Larose with plenty of new saddle leather, cedar wood, black currants, cherries, licorice, and Provencal... Read More