James Suckling (92-93)

A red with red berries and currants and some chocolate and hazelnuts. It’s medium-to full-bodied with ripe, savory tannins. Serious this year.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2000 Brut Millesime Amour de Deutz is a rare Blanc de Blancs made from vineyards in Mesnil (60%), Avize (35%) and Villers Marmery (5%) that the estate uses exclusively for charity events and/or gifts, which is a shame since that means only a few people will ever have an opportunity to taste it. The Amour de Deutz bursts from the glass with endless layers of mineral-infused fruit, showing marvelous intensity and richness. Pears, apples and flowers linger on the finish. Disgorged 12/10/2009. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.

Vinous (92)

(100% chardonnay grown in Le Mesnil, Avize and Villers-Marmery; disgorged October 12, 2011; LA109D29111): Bright yellow-gold. A heady, complex bouquet evokes dried citrus fruits, quince, white flowers and iodine, with a hint of truffle in the background. Shows both power and finesse, offering lively Meyer lemon, orange pith and fresh fig flavors. The floral quality builds with air and carries through a very long, mineral-accented finish.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2000 Brut Dom Perignon is a gorgeous, seductive wine that floats on the palate with remarkable grace. Toasty aromas meld into freshly cut flowers, apricots and pears, with sweet notes of mint and licorice that linger on the long finish. This perfumed, inviting Dom Perignon is elegance personified, and in this vintage the wine fully merits its lofty reputation. According to winemaker Vincent Chaperone there is only one disgorgement date for the first release of Dom Perignon, and the 2000 was disgorged over a period of weeks in March and April, 2007, 2007.

James Suckling (91-92)

This is really well done with soft tannins and berry, cherry and chocolate character. Full body, with round tannins. This year has more Cabernet Franc with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot.

Decanter (96)

The Faiveley holdings add up to 0.87ha on variety of soil types and altitudes, but they are all comparatively cool. This was picked late as a result on September 4th and marries richness, weight and honeyed complexity with vibrant, mineral-edged acidity and scented oak. A textbook Corton-Charlemagne from a year that didn't lend itself to classic wines.

Wine Spectator (97)

Shows a very ripe nose, with rose, berry and hints of meat. Full-bodied and powerful, with chewy tannins and a long, long finish. Massive yet balanced. What a wine. The greatest Saffredi ever made. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Alicante. Better than previously reviewed. Best after 2012. 1,750 cases made. -JS

Vinous (98)

Fontodi's 2013 Flaccianello della Pieve is a fabulous, riveting wine that grabs hold of all the senses. There is plenty of the richness and textural depth that have always been a Fontodi signature, but in the more contemporary style that seeks to marry power and elegance. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2013 is still very much in its inky, primary stage.

Vinous (97)

The 2017 Flaccianello della Pieve is fabulous. Dark, sensual and enveloping, the 2017 captures the essence of the house style in its textural richness and baritone inflections. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather, licorice and chocolate infuse the 2017 with tremendous richness. The 2017 spent 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask, the same aging regime as the Vigna del Sorbo, but with a bit more new oak. That approach worked very well, as the Flaccianello stands out for its exceptional textural elegance and finesse. It is a positively stellar wine.

Afficionados of fine Rieslings will delight in the Georg Breuer Rauenthaler Nonnenberg Riesling 2004. Produced in the historical vineyards of Germany's Rheingau region, this esteemed vintage captures the true essence of its pristine terroir. Master winemaker Georg Breuer used traditional Riesling vinification methods - hand-picking, spontaneous fermentation and protracted settling - to create a wine of intense complexity.

The Rauenthaler Nonnenberg vineyard's unique south-facing slopes enhance growth, furnishing the grapes with optimal ripeness and imparting the wine with its distinct character. The 2004 vintage is evocative of ripe yellow fruits, underpinned by minerality, resulting from the vineyard's quartzite soils.

Georg Breuer, a stalwart of German viticulture, ensures the sustainable cultivation of these beautiful vineyards, continuing his commitment to the quality synonymous with his name. Each bottle of Georg Breuer Rauenthaler Nonnenberg Riesling 2004 is a testament to the harmony of tradition, terroir, and meticulous winemaking.

The Georg Breuer Rauenthaler Nonnenberg Riesling 2011 is a rare gem for sophisticated palates, produced in Rüdesheim, the heart of Germany's Rheingau region. Georg Breuer, an esteemed winery with over a century's worth of winemaking pedigree, crafts this exquisite vintage using only biodynamic methods, ensuring a harmonious interplay between the terroir and the Riesling grape. The 2011 Nonnenberg is made from vineyards planted in richly mineral soils, which add a profound complexity to the wine.

Handle with reverence, decant gently and you'll encounter an enthralling bouquet of sweet citrus, apricot, and fine mineral nuances. On the palate, it delights with an elegant structure, striking balance between fruit and acidity, culminating with a lingering finish. A meticulously crafted wine, the Georg Breuer Rauenthaler Nonnenberg Riesling 2011 awaits the discerning oenophile, promising an extraordinary epicurean experience.

James Suckling (96-97)

This full-bodied red builds on the palate in a fantastic way with tight, compact tannins that grow and grow on the finish. Plenty of blackcurrant and graphite character and a flavorful finish. Same level as the excellent 2016.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (91)

(roughly a 50/50 blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon) Good bright ruby-red. Deep, smoky aromas of plum syrup, raspberry, tobacco, iron and roasted nuts. Lush, silky and sweet, with insidious vinosity keeping the lush plum and tobacco flavors fresh and delineated. The suave merlot tannins spread out to cover the entire palate. Much more a merlot-dominated wine than the 2001, which is 65% cabernet sauvignon.

James Suckling (94-95)

I can’t remember a Haut-Batailley this tannic, yet the tannins are savory and very ripe with beauty and purity. Full-bodied, chewy tannins and a long and intense finish.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

The 2001 Haut-Brion has a very refined bouquet of pure black cherries, wild strawberry, iodine and crushed violet scents. Hints of potpourri and incense emerge with time, but it does not quite slip into fifth gear. The palate is medium-bodied with Seville orange marmalade, tangy and lively, and expands gently toward the sensual Bing cherry and orange zest finish. Wonderful. 13.2° alcohol.

James Suckling (98)

This is extremely aromatic and perfumed with crushed-berry, flower, currant and orange-peel character. Full-bodied, very tight and focused with fabulous depth and density that brings you down through the wine. Deep and serious. Very classic wine that reminds me of top Haut-Brions of the mid-1980s. Try after 2025.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2018 Haut-Brion is composed of 49.4% Merlot, 38.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11.9% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, the wine needs a lot of swirling before it begins to release a whole complex melody of notes, one at a time to begin: tilled earth, followed by pronounced licorice, then crushed rocks, then the preserved plums. Eventually, it all comes together into a fascinating crescendo of intense crème de cassis, rose oil, wild blueberries and kirsch notes, giving way to quiet, persistent leitmotif scents of cinnamon stick, truffles and redcurrant jelly. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers all this and more, revealing tightly wound black fruit, red berry and exotic spice layers within a solid, wonderfully plush frame and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and loads of earth and mineral sparks. This is a profound, highly intellectual, multilayered baby, which will require a good 7-8 years to begin to sing its incredible song, then should cellar a further 40 years at least. By way of reference, think 1989 with more restraint and even greater purity.

Wine Advocate (97)

A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot, the deep garnet colored 2009 Insignia soars out of the glass with beautifully expressed cassis, baked plums and blackberry preserves scents plus nuances of rose hip tea, potpourri, cigar box, crushed rocks, raked leaves and tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, the tannins here are just incredible—soft, fine-grained, wonderfully knit—backed up with lovely freshness and all those fragrant black fruit flavors, finishing long and earthy.

Wine Advocate (89+)

The dense ruby/purple-colored, chunky, rich, slightly masculine 2011 Kirwan is medium-bodied and fleshy. It reveals excellent extraction of fruit and flavor, sweet, but noticeable tannins and a nicely textured mouthfeel as well as finish. While it may not be an archetypical Margaux, it is impressively endowed. Still young, it should hit its prime in 5-6 years and have 15-20 years of upside ahead of it.

James Suckling (93-94)

Nicely firm and structured with a tight core of blackberry, stone and bark with some graphite. Grainy, firm tannins. Fresh and focused finish. 51.3% merlot, 45.2% cabernet sauvignon and 3.5% cabernet franc.

James Suckling (92-93)

What a beautiful nose with currants and spices and hints of filtered coffee. Full and silky with beautiful texture and length. Second wine. Excellent.

James Suckling (100)

One of the most powerful and significant La Fleur-Petrus I have ever tasted with incredible depth and power. It’s full and so layered with fine and intense tannins. It shows very dark fruits, dark chocolate with hazelnuts, and milk chocolate with almonds. This will age for eternity.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)

The 2018 La Gaffelière is hands down one of the wines of the vintage. Towering in its stature and vertical lift, the 2018 dazzles right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and leather all run through this deep, wonderfully pliant Saint-Émilion. The 2018 is rich, deep and beautifully resonant, with tremendous depth and tons of stature that builds, all framed by beams of supporting minerality that confer vibrancy. La Gaffelière is distinctive, alluring and arresting right out of the gate. It is another magnificent showing from this reborn estate. The blend is 63% Merlot and 37% Cabernet Franc. Magnifique!

Wine Advocate (92)

Unquestionably the greatest La Lagune until the 2005 was conceived, the 1982 exhibits a dense ruby/purple-tinged color along with a big, sweet bouquet of black cherries, licorice, smoky toast, and forest floor, a plush, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and sweet tannin. It is close to full maturity, and should keep for another decade. Release price: ($65.00/case)

Wine Advocate (95)

From the luxury, 12-acre boutique outpost of the Neipperg family, the 2012 La Mondotte (generally 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc) has an inky/purple color, sweet mulberry, black cherry and cassis note, stunning purity and full-bodied texture. The wine’s opulence and voluptuous character compare to its greatest vintages, such as 1998, 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2010. Its great terroir (clay and limestone soils) shines through with a stunning effort in the vintage. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

Wine Advocate (94-96+)

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 La Violette is a little reticent to begin, unfurling to give crushed blackberries and blackcurrants notes with touches of forest floor, truffles, cast iron pan and star anise. The palate is exquisitely balanced and intense, with firm, ripe tannins and seamless freshness framing the rock-solid, muscular fruit, finishing very long.

Wine Spectator (95-100)

Crushed berries and intensity to this, with grapey, toasted oak and cedar notes. Big and concentrated, with chewy and firm tannins. Very long. Very tight, though, and just beginning to show its true nature. Score range: 95-100

Wine Enthusiast (96)

As so often with Lafite, it is power that marks this wine. That, and density of texture. The additional element in this vintage, and at this stage of the wine's development, is a dominant wood element. The vanilla and tannins from the wood match well with the concentrated tannins of the fruit, which is dark, dense and tight. This is a wine for long-term aging: in 15 years this will have superb richness.