1 | Wine | New Arrivals, Saint Emilion

"A tasty, opulent 2005 from proprietress Helene Garcin, this sexy wine exhibits a dense ruby/purple color followed by a sweet bouquet of licorice, black cherries, blackberries, oak, and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, opulent, fleshy, and disarming, it will drink well in 2-3 years, and should age for 12-15." -Robert Parker

"The 2012 Ausone is another prodigious effort that should turn out to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage. It boasts a dense purple color along with abundant notes of mulberries, black currants, blueberries and a hint of raspberries interwoven with spring flower and crushed chalk-like characteristics presented in a full-bodied yet ethereal, stylish, racy, noble manner. This is a high class, aristocratic, nearly perfect wine to cellar for a decade and then watch it unfold over the following 40-50 years." -Robert Parker

"Delightfully fresh and pure, with beautifully expressive aromas of blueberry, raspberry, plum and boysenberry fruit. This tames the grippy, taut side of the vintage, delivering sleek, silky tannins and a long, spice-infused finish. Offers lovely length and precision."

"One of the superstars of the vintage, it boasts an inky/purple color as well as abundant notes of blueberry liqueur, graphite, truffles, acacia flowers and subtle toast. Full-bodied, opulent and already easy to drink, this large-scaled wine possesses high levels of tannin, but they are relatively well-concealed by the extravagant fruit, glycerin, texture and density of this compelling Troplong Mondot. This impressive wine may shut down after bottling and require 4-5 years of cellaring. It has the potential to last at least 15-20 years. Bravo!" -Robert Parker

"The 2012 exhibits a black/purple color along with a striking nose of incense, spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries and hints of mulberries and crushed chalk. The sumptuous aromatics are followed by a full-bodied, super-concentrated, rich, layered wine that builds incrementally across the palate, finishing with an explosion of fruit, spice, tannin, glycerin and minerality." -Robert Parker

"If you want to impress a friend with a pure, hedonistic St.-Emilion that also offers an intellectual challenge, the 2012 Croix de Labrie, a St.-Emilion fruit bomb, is the wine for you. Unfortunately, the 250-case production means this cuvee is limited in availability. Aromas of incense, Christmas fruitcake, Asian plum sauce, blackberries, licorice and truffles soar from the glass of this dense plum/purple-colored wine. Opulent, voluptuously textured and medium to full-bodied with no hard edges to be found, it will drink well for a decade after bottling." -Robert Paker

"The 2012 exhibits notes of licorice, truffles, lead pencil shavings, barbecued meats, blackberries, black raspberries and a hint of espresso roast. Sweet new oak notes are apparent in the back of the wine, but its abundant fruit, full-bodied mouthfeel, and multidimensional texture as well as length, make for an impressive showing. This wine will need 3-4 years of cellaring and should keep for 20 years or more. Bravo! If you haven’t yet jumped on the Larcis Ducasse bandwagon, it’s time to do so." -Robert Parker

"One of the superstars of the vintage — again — it boasts an opaque purple color as well as an incredibly floral nose interwoven with crushed chalk, blueberry liqueur, black currants, licorice and graphite. Full-bodied and stunningly rich (yields were 22 hectoliters per hectare) with lots of glycerin and texture, this beautiful wine should keep for 15-20 years." -Robert Parker

"It offers an opaque dense purple color along with attractive blackberry, licorice, truffle and cassis fruit notes. It is full-bodied and dense with an authoritative mid-palate, sweet tannin and a layered mouthfeel that builds incrementally into a stunningly long finish. Precocious and charming already, it will drink better at an earlier age than the massive, prodigious 2009. Drink this killer St.-Emilion over the next 15+ years." -Robert Parker

"Features a core of dark anise, fruitcake, plum sauce and raspberry, with a fleshy texture that hangs through the finish. Has guts without the vintage’s chewy, taut feel."
Reviewed by: Wine Spectator, 90 to 93 pts

"This full-bodied beauty exhibits a dense opaque purple color in addition to copious notes of creme de cassis, kirsch, licorice and incense. It should drink well for 15-20 years. This will be a sleeper of the vintage." -Robert Parker