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"The ripe raspberry essence charges from the glass after the pour in waves of ripe, sweet, juicy perfume. The midpalate stage is pleasingly ripe, correctly acidic, and fruity. The finish is clean, harmonious, and fresh."

"Always one of the top Cotes de Castillons, the 2005 Cap des Faugeres is revealing more rustic tannin than it did from barrel, but it is weighty, deep, rich effort offering a flamboyant nose of black fruits, coffee, chocolate, and toasty oak." -Robert Parker

"Attractive dark and oily. The smoke is rich and steely with notes of cedar, oil and black cherry. Medium to full bodied." August 03

"High-pitched aromas of red berries, Asian spices and white pepper. Displays a lot of aromatic complexity for the money. Sweet, slightly jammy black raspberry and spice flavors become more peppery with air and show no rough edges. The sweet, focused finish repeats the spicy notes. This has to be one of the top red wine values in the market, and there are 10,000 cases of it for the U.S."

A pineapple and passion fruit wine from Hawaii.

Brilliant deep amber. Lavish aromas of creme brulee, oatmeal with brown sugar, dried fruits, honeyed nuts and iodine-tinged peat follow through on a supple, silky entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-full body with superb depth and balance. Finishes with a long, resonant and earthy melange of citrus marmalade, honey and smoky peat. Like drinking buried treasure.

"The bouquet is mesmerizing with multiple layers of fragrances that include pine/cedar, quinine, fennel, white pepper, licorice, mace, allspice, sage and rosemary. An orange zest flavor appears at palate entry; midpalate finds exotic tastes of orange zest, tangerine zest, multiple herbs and spices, honey and pine. A fabulous liqueur." 96-100 pts.

"The inviting bouquet offers aromas of fruitcake, banana nut bread, sweet malt, crispy pork rind, sweet oak, vanilla, red grapes and blackberry jam. Entry is sweet and grainy; at midpalate the taste profile suddenly bursts with red fruit presence and oaky vanilla. Finishes clean as a whistle, chewy and concentrated." 96-100 pts.