Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (89-92)

Pineapple dominates the nose. Clean, juicy and penetrating, with very intense, pure flavors of pineapple and honey. In its power, this reminded me of a 2001. Finishes with terrific lingering fruit.

Decanter (95)

All of the Left Bank firsts are tasting excellent, but Margaux stands out for the tightness and clarity of its sweet cherry and cassis fruit expression, the menthol grip on the finish, and the perfume that runs through the palate. This is a vintage that could almost be ready to drink with a good carafing, but the layers of graphite and the finesse to the tannins suggest it could also go longer. A great example of the subtle crafting possible in 2007.

Decanter (95)

All of the Left Bank firsts are tasting excellent, but Margaux stands out for the tightness and clarity of its sweet cherry and cassis fruit expression, the menthol grip on the finish, and the perfume that runs through the palate. This is a vintage that could almost be ready to drink with a good carafing, but the layers of graphite and the finesse to the tannins suggest it could also go longer. A great example of the subtle crafting possible in 2007.

Decanter (95)

All of the Left Bank firsts are tasting excellent, but Margaux stands out for the tightness and clarity of its sweet cherry and cassis fruit expression, the menthol grip on the finish, and the perfume that runs through the palate. This is a vintage that could almost be ready to drink with a good carafing, but the layers of graphite and the finesse to the tannins suggest it could also go longer. A great example of the subtle crafting possible in 2007.

An exquisite product of the Champagne region, the Marie Noelle Ledru Grand Cru Cuvee Goulte Blanc Noirs Brut 2007 is a testament to the unique mastery of its revered producer. One of the few female vignerons in the region, Marie Noelle Ledru meticulously cultivates a small set of vineyards, applying traditional and sustainable practices.

Crafted solely from dark-skinned Pinot Noir grapes, this Blanc de Noirs champagne imbues a golden clarity. The wine exemplifies the terroir with its expressive aromas and flavours. Raspberry and apple notes softened by brioche undertones result from its meticulous méthode champenoise. Fermented in oak, the wine spends an impressive 9 years on lees before disgorging. Its remarkable complexity and depth are reflections of this extended maturation.

A testament to the elegance of Ledru's style, the Marie Noelle Ledru Grand Cru Cuvee Goulte Blanc Noirs Brut 2007 personifies both power and grace, offering a distinctive and rewarding gustatory experience.

An exquisite product of the Champagne region, the Marie Noelle Ledru Grand Cru Cuvee Goulte Blanc Noirs Brut 2007 is a testament to the unique mastery of its revered producer. One of the few female vignerons in the region, Marie Noelle Ledru meticulously cultivates a small set of vineyards, applying traditional and sustainable practices.

Crafted solely from dark-skinned Pinot Noir grapes, this Blanc de Noirs champagne imbues a golden clarity. The wine exemplifies the terroir with its expressive aromas and flavours. Raspberry and apple notes softened by brioche undertones result from its meticulous méthode champenoise. Fermented in oak, the wine spends an impressive 9 years on lees before disgorging. Its remarkable complexity and depth are reflections of this extended maturation.

A testament to the elegance of Ledru's style, the Marie Noelle Ledru Grand Cru Cuvee Goulte Blanc Noirs Brut 2007 personifies both power and grace, offering a distinctive and rewarding gustatory experience.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Smoke, leaf litter, black cherry, very fine, misted tannins. Dry and stately. Lots of structure and not so much fruit power as some other vintages. Lovely expressive nose though – a really delicate example.

Vinous (91-94)

Good bright, deep red. Reserved aromas of black raspberry, licorice and minerals. Intensely flavored and firm-in fact quite backward in the mouth, with little easy sweetness. Plenty of structural support to the pure black cherry and mineral flavors. Quite refined, and long on the aftertaste. This tastes like it's from another vintage. Meo noted that he picked these vines late. Lots of potential here.

Wine Enthusiast (95)

The wood element is important here, but it is based on a firm Cabernet Sauvignon structure, dry but rich tannins. The wine is a great success for the vintage, giving sweetness, ripe fruit that only shows light extraction, and dark plum and berry flavors. The feeling is of polished fruit and wood, rounded but always dense.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (92-94)

Full, deep yellow. Sexy aromas of exotic orange oil, candied lemon peel and mirabelle Then fat and unctuous but juicy in the mouth, with strong acidity giving penetration and clarity to the intense fruit flavors. Not an especially powerful style but creamy, dense, bright and very long.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Nicolas Potel's négociant wine. 'No chaptalisation and no filtration therefore the most natural wines we've made for years. Some winemakers make a comparison with 2003 – but there were more than 100 days between flowering and picking in 2007 and 2008. 2007 was less delicate than we thought; I was tempted to bottle in September but found the wines were not ready.' Much more delicate than the Clos St-Denis. Wild strawberry fruit aromas plus delicate spice, and then more marked spice on the palate. All in a restrained and scented style and leading to a lingering finish and very fine tannins.

Wine Advocate (92)

Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Palmer has an opulent bouquet for the vintage, something almost Mediterranean tincturing the lifted red berry fruit laced with sage and even a suggestion of oregano. The palate is medium-bodied with silky smooth tannin, a fine bead of acidity, gentle and caressing but with a powerful, almost heady finish. If you are looking for an extravagant wine this vintage, then Palmer is the place to come, though maybe it has just dispensed a little of its luster since I last tasted it. Tasted February 2017.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (92)

(-) Medium ruby-red. Exotic aromas of currant, plum, tobacco, minerals, smoke and spices, complicated by hints of cherry-cola and pepper. At once generous and juicy, with lovely inner-mouth aromatic character and a strong impression of soil to the flavors of candied redcurrant, tobacco and spices. Finishes broad and long, with a fine dusting of sweet tannins. Very strong for the year.

Chateau Pavie has Gerard Perse’s unique style; few in the wine world sit on the fence here. The 2007 is full bodied and structured. The nose is particularly refined with cassis and coffee. The palate has fig, black cherry, spice, firm tannins and a fresh finish.

Wine Advocate (93)

Gerard Perse’s tiny vineyard was cropped at 26 hectoliters per hectare, and the final blend was 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc (14.5% alcohol). It boasts great intensity, a dense purple color, and beautiful aromas of sweet mulberries, black cherries, cedar, crushed rocks, and white chocolate as well as a chalky character (which gives the wine superb minerality). The wine is expansively flavored, and the tannins are remarkably sweet and well-integrated. An atypical blockbuster for the 2007 vintage, it should drink beautifully for 15-20 years.

Wine Advocate (89)

Tasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux has a crisp and well defined bouquet of black dusky fruit, sandalwood, bay leaf and a touch of warm gravel. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and impressive structure. There is a linearity about this Pavillon Rouge, with a dash of white pepper towards the finish, as it clings to the mouth and says, I'm going to last longer than you think in bottle. This initially suggested a drinking window of around a decade, but now a decade on, it has other ideas. Tasted February 2017.

Wine Advocate (90+)

The 2007 Cuvee Speciale Peby is a heavily extracted, extremely oaky effort with the wood so prominent that the fruit seems pushed to the background. There is a huge weight to the wine, which is very unusual in 2007, and there is good purity and density, but the oak is overwhelming at this point. The wine possesses outstanding concentration, and if the oak becomes better integrated, it will merit its score and then some. Patience is most definitely required as it needs at least 2-4 years of cellaring.

Wine Advocate (100)

A deeper, richer version of the Cuvee Reservee, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo is one of the more youthful, concentrated wines of the vintage. Coming primarily from the la Crau lieu-dit and over 90% Grenache, aged in an old foudre, its deep ruby color is followed by a bonafide smorgasbord of Provencal aromas and flavors of garrigue, cured meats, incense, beef blood, black currants and pepper. While a full-bodied, incredibly concentrated, rich and unctuous wine, it carries its wealth of fruit and mid-palate density with incredible elegance and purity, with a seamless texture, no hard edges and a finish that won't quit. The 2007 is more elegant and seamless than both the 1998 and 2003, with an incredible sweetness of tannin. Nevertheless, it still needs another 2-4 years of bottle age and will blow your mind over the following 10-15 years.

Wine Spectator (93)

A vibrant version, with lovely harmony to the spice and smoke accents and flavors of poached pear, pastry, apricot and honey. The refined, creamy mousse carries the flavor range on the lasting finish.

James Suckling (94)

This Petrus is solid for the vintage with bright and pretty fruit. It’s full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a berry, Indian spice, and cinnamon character. Long and intense. Better than most may believe. Still needs some time but who can wait?

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2007 Clos des Goisses Brut blends 65% Pinot Noir with 35% Chardonnay and opens with a bright, highly refined and complex bouquet of red fruits, fresh ginger and roasted hazelnuts. On the palate, this is a pure, highly refined and very mineral Clos des Goisses that reveals a long, complex, beautifully tensioned and iodine-laced finish. Just Beautiful! This bottle was disgorged in September 2016. Tasted April 2018.

Wine Enthusiast (93)

A dark charactered wine, with solid tannins and firm, extracted fruit flavors. The berry fruits are juicy and sweet, with the dusty tannins coming from the Cabernet in the blend. The finish is softer, more black jelly in texture.

The Pierre Damoy Chambertin-Clos-de-Beze Grand Cru 2007 is an opulent Burgundy red. This highly sought-after wine is crafted from the pure Pinot Noir grape, meticulously handpicked from the illustrious Chambertin-Clos-de-Beze vineyard in France's prestigious Côte de Nuits region. History meets innovation in this distinguished vineyard's rich limestone-clay soils, nurtured by fifth-generation vintner Pierre Damoy.

Famed for producing grand crus with unparalleled sophistication, Damoy's wines embody an artful balance of power and grace. The Pierre Damoy Chambertin-Clos-de-Beze Grand Cru 2007 imparts an enchanting bouquet of dark berries, forest floor and spices, with a bold yet refined palate reinforcing its impeccable lineage.

Finely aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, this Grand Cru embodies the complexity and vibrancy of its terroir. A toast to the connoisseurs, the Pierre Damoy Chambertin-Clos-de-Beze Grand Cru 2007 is an epitome of Burgundian finesse and elegance.

Wine Advocate (99)

The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is just now starting to shed a tiny amount of its abundant baby fat that's been front and center since release. Still, it pulls no punches in its thrilling aromas and flavors of kirsch liqueur, roasted garrigue, black raspberries, incense, cured meats and licorice, and it is about as quintessential Grenache as you can find. Thrillingly concentrated, intense, perfumed and layered with incredible balance, this full-bodied beauty should hit its peak in another 2-3 years and keep for at least a decade after that.

Vinous (94)

Vivid red. Intensely perfumed, expressive aromas of red and dark berry compote, smoky minerals and incense, along with a deep note of black cardamom. Palate-saturating raspberry and kirsch flavors are complicated by suggestions of licorice pastille and candied lavender, with silky tannins adding support. Becomes sappier with air and finishes with excellent clarity and mineral-laced red fruit character.