1 | Wine | Bordeaux, $20 to $50, 2009

"This dense purple wine displays notes of charcoal, subtle toast and white chocolate as well as blueberry and blackberry liqueur intermixed with hints of graphite and licorice. Dense, full-bodied, unctuously textured, and quite long and thick, this concentrated, impressively endowed wine is silky-textured and already accessible. However, I suspect its best days are at least 5-7 years ahead of it. It should keep for a minimum of two decades."-Robert Parker

"This has suave toast, mulled spice, roasted fig and crushed plum and blackberry flavors, all gliding along with silky structure through the finish."

"The Sigalas-Rabaud has a well defined nose: grapefruit, nectarine, honey and lime, much more primal than some of the other 2009s. The palate is very well balanced with excellent acidity: apricot, honeysuckle, a touch of orange zest and then vibrant white peach bursting across the finish with lime flower and lemongrass on the aftertaste. Wonderful persistency, power and freshness. Without question: the 2009 is the best Sigalas-Rabaud that I have tasted and this nectar comes highly recommended."

"This St.-Julien is actually made at Ducru Beaucaillou and is designed to offer exuberant cassis fruit with an unmistakable northern Medoc personality. The dense ruby/purple 2009 is delicious, with low acidity and lots of cassis, Christmas fruitcake and spice box. The wine is medium to full-bodied, has no hard edges, and is an attractive, velvety wine to drink over the next 7-8 years. A sleeper of the vintage."-Robert Parker

"The 2009 Rayne-Vigneau is one of the stars of the vintage. It has a very well defined, almost understated nose with white peach, apricot and lime leaf: very pretty and succinct. The palate is very well balanced, beautifully defined with real minerality showing through the viscous, botrytized fruit. Great tension here, effortlessly counterbalancing the richness to perfection."

"This is a big, serious, back-strapping wine meant for long-term aging. In fact, I wouldn-t touch it for another 4-5 years. It is clearly the most masculine, concentrated and structured wine of the Canon-Fronsac area. A lot of Merlot is in the wine, but Cabernet Franc and possibly a little Cabernet Sauvignon are also included. This inky purple wine displays notes of Asian plum sauce, creme de cassis and blackberry liqueur as well as a hint of lead pencil shavings. Big, full-bodied, and seriously endowed, this massive Canon-Fronsac needs time to calm down. However, everything is present - acidity, tannin, extract and substantial richness. This is an impressive wine as well as a sleeper of the vintage."-Robert Parker

"The 2009 is one of the greatest wines ever produced from the estate. It has a riveting bouquet of quince, honey, pear and a touch of clarified butter that is beautifully defined, offering scents of yellow flowers with continued aeration. It is a little heavier and more intense than its peers at this stage. The palate is beautifully balanced with perfectly judged acidity and immense purity. The finish offers crisp honey, quince and clementine notes laden with botrytis that is counterpoised by wonderful acidity. It possesses an unerring sense of completeness and composure that is irresistible. Bravo! Drink now-2050."

"The minerality and stoniness really comes through on the nose of this Rieussec, more than the 2007. The palate is very well balanced with superb acidity, real tension, steely with great precision with notes of apricot, white peach and honey on the beautifully defined finish. Probably the best Rieussec since the astounding 2001."

"This is initially very muted on the nose, but it unfurls seductively. ...with subtle, perfumed aromas of lime leaf, white peach, fresh apricot and touches of white flowers: very pretty and well defined. The palate is beautifully balanced, so pure and succinct with wonderful precision towards the vibrant, white peach and apricot finish. This is a wonderful Sauternes and one of their best wines in recent years." -Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate, 94-96 pts.

"The palate is well balanced with a citric entry, touches of apricot and lime. ...tightly coiled towards the finish with the acidity slicing through the viscous honey fruit with a touch of Tropicana. Again, this is a very focused, tensile Sauternes with beguiling clarity." -Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate, 92-94 pts.