Wine Spectator 93 (2006) - Aromatic, offering smoke, slate, peach and floral aromas and picking up a lime accent on the palate. Lighter than air, with a silky texture and a long, tangy aftertaste. There's a nice combination of intensity and delicacy.
Stephen Tanzer 94 (2008) - Intense aroma of pineapple, magnolia and lemon oil. A delicate interplay of ripe citrus fruits and salty minerality gives this wine a distinguished tone. Refined, expressive and quite elegant on the finish. A stunning s....
Jancis Robinson 17+ (2008) - Similarly reductive though the fruit character is a little riper and then richer and sweeter tasting on the palate. Great acidity and quite austere now even with such lovely fruit. Great length. (JH)
Robert Parker 92 (2008) - The Haags’ 2008 Brauneberger Juffer Spatlese is feather-light and chiffon-like; redolent of grapefruit, lime, apricot, and persimmon; and balances creaminess with vivacity in a remarkable manner. Nut oils and subtly saline and stony elements i....
Wine Spectator 93 (2008) - Brown spices, apricot, peach and slate aromas and flavors highlight this laserlike white, which is vivid on the palate, with the impact of a neon sign at night. There's a lovely slate-tinged aftertaste."
Jancis Robinson 17 (2009) - Red slate soils. Less open than the Mineral but also riper citrus aromas underneath. Breathtaking purity and even a slight hint of lemongrass. Perfect balance of clear-as-a-bell fresh fruit and fresh acidity with no edges.
Robert Parker 90 (2009) - ...sheer succulence of citrus, tart red berry, apple, and white peach that goes beyond that of the corresponding generic trocken. A hint of pistachio lends underlying richness as both soothing and refreshment ...".
Robert Parker 97pts - Elderton’s flagship is the single vineyard Command Shiraz, a wine with serious aging potential, and one with which all other South Australia Shiraz must be compared. The opaque purple/black 2005 Command Shiraz was aged in French and American oak puncheons (500-liter ba....
Robert Parker 90pts - A sleeper of the vintage, Batailley’s complex 2004 is redolent with notes of cedar wood, spice box, plums, cassis, tar, and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, supple textured, layered, rich, and long, it marks the renaissance of this fifth-growth Pauillac that is display....
Jancis Robinson 17pts - Mid crimson. Quite intense, concentrated nose. Sweet start and very polished. A little chewy on the end but certainly very Margaux. More polished than the Poujeaux.
Neal Martin 91pts - This has a dense ripe black fruit nose that seems to be in a sulky phase at the moment. A lot of new oak at the moment of course - this will need 5-6 years for the nose to develop. The palate is fleshy and ripe, quite sappy with rounded black fruits, good acidity and a fre....
Neal Martin 92pts - the nose is more immediate than the Le Grand Charron with scents of dried apricot, jasmine and a touch of lemon curd. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine acidity, ripe apricot, honeysuckle and white peach with just a touch of spice on the harmonious v....
Robert Parker 91pts - The nose takes a little coaxing from the glass; but eventually offers linden, nectarine and a touch of smoke. It would benefit from a little more vigour. The palate is well balanced with good weight on the slightly honeyed entry, a nice fatness here but matc....
Robert Parker 90pts - The 2009 Chablis Vaucoupin is one of the juicier wines in this vintage. It shows lovely up-front fruit to match its engaging personality. The finish turns a bit more delicate, but the Vaucoupin is best enjoyed for its rewarding immediacy.
Stephen Tanzer 88pts - Pale yellow. Oyster shell, menthol, mint and a whiff of flowers on the nose. Dense on the palate, with pear and peach fruit flavors complicated by anise and a hint of honey. Shapely, balanced village wine, b....
Wine Spectator 95pts - "Aromas of blackberry, plum skin and hints of cut wood. Full-bodied, chewy and very rich, with lots of tannins, French oak and fruit. This is dense and concentrated. Layered. Needs time."
Wine Spectator 95pts - "Aromas of blackberry, plum skin and hints of cut wood. Full-bodied, chewy and very rich, with lots of tannins, French oak and fruit. This is dense and concentrated. Layered. Needs time."
Jancis Robinson 18/20 - ".. Lifted nose, quite ethereal. Apparently this wine and Pajana play leapfrog on their respective ageing curves but on the day I tasted the two wines this was the more forward. Some round, appealing, if slightly leafy fruit and really quite friendly com....
Stephen Tanzer 91pts - "Musky redcurrant, graphite, licorice, tar, dried flowers and earth tones on the highly aromatic nose. Broad, fat and impressive, with good structure and grip to the flavors of dark fruits, graphite and minerals. Finishes with big, broad, dusty tannins th....
Stephen Tanzer 90pts - "Bright ruby. Vibrant aromas of black cherry, blackberry, licorice and violet. Juicy, spicy and tight, with strong acid cut and firm tannins keeping the wine's flesh under wraps today. This classic dolcetto screams out for food."
Robert Parker 94pts - "The 2006 Barolo Bricco Fiasco is simply magnificent. It, too, is impressively powerful, but here the layers of flavor are beautifully filled out. Exotic, ripe red fruit, smoke and menthol are but a few of the nuances that gradually emerge as this refined ....
Wine Spectator 93pts - "Bright with cherry and floral aromas and flavors, this red also reveals spice and mineral elements. Its tannins are dense and dusty, yet a sweetness prevails as this plays out on the cranberry-tinged finish."
Stephen Tanzer 93pts - "Deep red. Pure, perfumed nose shows lovely brown-spice lift but is very reticent today. Aromatic and vibrant but youthfully unevolved; most impressive today for its energy, definition and lift. Shows very suave tannins for the year. A very classy 2005 in....
Robert Parker 90pts - "Marengo's 2004 Barolo is a lovely, poised wine. It offers feminine, perfumed fruit in the graceful, finessed expression typical of the Barolos of La Morra. It should be a terrific value as well...."
Wine Spectator, 95pts - "Deliciously complex and full-bodied, this is layered with flavors, showing citrus and tropical fruit, with hints of anise and buttery oak, yet the acidity keeps the flavors tangy and vibrant."
Stephen Tanzer 91pts - "Bright yellow. Precise, mineral-driven aromas of pear, spicecake, iodine and wet concrete, along with a sexy floral aspect. At once tactile and fine-grained, with subtle smokiness giving depth to the flavors of Meyer lemon, minerals and candied ginger. T....
Wine Spectator, 93pts - "A luscious Lafite that is silky and elegant with layers of wonderful violet, berry, cherry and chocolate flavors. It's full-bodied, with racy, refined tannins and good length. Drinkable now, but best from 1999 and through another decade."
Stephen Tanzer, 93pts - "Deep, bright ruby. Complex bouquet offers scents of blueberry, boysenberry, cola, dark chocolate and mace. Broad, sweet dark berry flavors display liqueur-like depth and power and are nicely framed by velvety tannins. A tangy mineral note gains strength....
Jancis Robinson: May 2010 - This haunting dry white from Galicia in north-west Spain is great value even if not cheap. Coto de Gomariz 2008 Ribeiro is made up of about 80% Treixadura with a blend of the other Galician varieties Godell....
Stephen Tanzer 91pts - "Pale yellow. Musky aromas of pear, buttered toast, truffle, lees and smoke; smells like a serious, traditional Chassagne-Montrachet. Sappy orchard fruit and melon flavors are sweetened by a vanilla note and given verve by a note of lemon zest. Finishes b....
Robert Parker 91pts - "The 2009 Calvert Pinot Noir gives a deep ruby-purple color and precociously expressive black raspberry and spice box aromas -- cassia, cloves, mace and allspice – with nuances of milk chocolate and anise. Full bodied with medium-high acid and a medi....
Robert Parker, 93pts - "The 2009 Cornish Point Pinot Noir is looking particularly good this year. Deep ruby-purple colored, it displays aromas of black cherries, warm cranberries, moss, beets, cinnamon, anise and a whiff of Mediterranean herbs. Full bodied, crisp and spicy, the....
Stephen Tanzer,92pts - "Good full red. Pure but restrained aromas of raspberry, minerals, white pepper, rose petal and herbs; about as Chambolle-like as any New Zealand pinot I've tasted this year. Juicy, tangy and pristine, with lovely sappy lift ....
Bob Campbell MW, 91pts - "Attractive Chardonnay with plenty of citrus, mealy and nutty oak flavours and a seamless, silken texture. Harmonious wine with excellent fruit/oak integration and a good balance of fruit/alcohol sweetness with tannins and acidity."
Robert Parker 90pts - "A star of the vintage, this classy, cedary, black currant, and sweet cherry-scented, dense ruby-colored Las Cases exhibits a beautiful dosage of new oak, medium body, expansive, ripe, concentrated flavors, plenty of glycerin, and exceptional purity. It is low in acidity, ....
Chris Kissack 17+/20 - "Another dark and glossy wine, with not a hint of maturity looking at the colour, although the nose presents an appealing array of aromas suggesting nice development. Quite classic, bloody, meaty, iron-edged style, with a full, ripe, creamy character on the palate. Lovely....
Chris Kissack 17+/20 - "A nose typical of the vintage, with a firm, deep presence of confit plum and cherry fruits. Nevertheless rather cool and detracted on entry, with a little note of freshness on the palate, and good varietally correct plum and fruitcake notes. There is a svelte texture and....
Decanter 5 Stars - "Nose very scented, heady and concentrated. On the palate a glorious creamy rich texture combined with great elegance and length. It is reminiscent of the 1986 and 88."
Robert Parker 95pts - "....This fabulous, inky/ruby/purple-tinged wine offers up sweet, jammy aromas of black raspberries, licorice, truffles, underbrush, and Provencal herbs. It is the deepest colored of these four wines, and is also profoundly rich and layered, with sweet tannins as well as r....
Robert Parker 94pts - "My notes on the dense ruby/purple-colored 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes (95% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre from 80-year-old vines) begin with the words “serious stuff.” Deep, rich, and full-bodied with abundant notes of forest floor, truffles, ear....
Robert Parker 91-93pts - "The 2007 Vacqueyras ... comes from one of the appellation's most favored sectors, the Hautes Garrigues of Sarrians. Its deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by a gorgeous perfume of kirsch liqueur, licorice, resiny pine forest, and pepper. Deep, medium to full-bodied ....
Robert Parker 95pts - "The 2006 Eneo has developed beautifully since it was bottled. It is a remarkably soft-textured, seamless wine loaded with black cherries, blackberry jam, mint, tar and graphite in a vibrant and utterly spellbinding style.... This is a spectacular effort."
Robert Parker 93pts - "The 2007 Eneo is simply awesome. Juicy red cherries, new leather, tobacco, wild cherries and earthiness come together in a rich, powerful style. Elements of ripeness and structure are combined in a classy wine of notable pedigree...."
Robert Parker 90pts - The 2008 A Quo presents a heady array of super-ripe blueberries, blackberries, cassis, minerals and spices that come together in a luxurious, exotic style. There is plenty of round, harmonious fruit to provide outstanding balance, polish and length...
Robert Parker 92+ - "The 2006 Two Blondes Vineyard.. offers up aromas of balsam wood, cinnamon, sage, incense, black cherry, and black currant. This is followed by supple, ripe wine with fine-grained tannins, savory flavors, and excellent balance. In each case, the 2007 is superior to its 2006 ....
Robert Parker 93+ - "The 2006 Ciel du Cheval.. . Purple-colored, it has an outstanding bouquet of cedar, cinnamon, clove, black currant, and blackberry. There are layers of savory fruit, considerable complexity, excellent balance, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. In each case, th....
Wine Spectator 93pts - "This has plenty of power, with a huge core of red and black currant fruit, plum sauce and iron, all wrapped by layers of spice, well-integrated toast and tobacco. A sanguine hint chimes in, helping to stretch out the finish. There's impressive range and depth."
Stephen Tanzer 91pts - "Full red-ruby. Sexy, claret-like nose offers musky redcurrant, cedar, tobacco, licorice and smoked meat. Intense but tightly wound, with penetrating acidity keeping the fruit under wraps today. This long-distance runner is dominated by its spine today, but it'....
