1 | Wine | $20 to $50, 2009, 750 ml

"A sexy, seductive, up-front effort revealing loads of berry fruit along with hints of Provencal herbs, licorice and smoked meats. Evolved, ripe, round, full-bodied and loaded, it can be drunk now or cellared for a decade." 90-92 pts, reviewed by Robert Parker.

"The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon flows from the glass with plums, black cherries, graphite, grilled herbs and smoke. This fleshy, up-front Cabernet Sauvignon shows fabulous overall balance and harmony in a style best enjoyed over the next decade or so."

"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

"The wine aromas open up to blackberry and cassis with a hint of cedar in the background. The wine has a rich entry, which leads to a full mid-palate and a long, soft finish. The flavors mimic that of the aroma with dark fruit and a hint of chocolate on the finish."

"Good bright red-ruby. Cherry, redcurrant and flowers on the nose. Supple on entry, then a bit youthfully clenched in the middle, showing good grip to the flavors of cassis, minerals, licorice and herbs. Not hugely rich or fleshy but has good structure. A tad dry and peppery on the finish. This wine was to have been bottled in April."

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

"Bright and focused, showing a sandy accent to the spicy cassis and thyme flavors, with a polished texture on the harmonious finish. Offers complexity and depth."

"The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve explodes from the glass with black fruit, grilled herbs, licorice, smoke and tar. The Grand Reserve reveals tons of energy and exceptional overall balance."

"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

"Fresh boysenberry and purple plum are garlanded with bitter-sweet flowers; tinged with brown spices; underlain with clean red meatiness; and suffused with saliva-liberating salinity in a Pinot of refined tannins and outstanding persistence."