1 | Wine | France, 86 or higher, 2007

"This has a very primal nose. ...the oak exposed at the moment although there is obviously a great deal of fruit concentration underneath. The palate is well balanced, a little oaky on the entry, dried honey, lemon curd, apricot and orange peel towards the linear finish. Tightly coiled Sauternes, quite modern in style, this should develop over 8-10 years in the bottle before really opening up and one hopes, evolve a little more "personality"."

"Very well defined and natural. ...An expressive nose with notes of clear honey, apricot, fig and a touch of walnut...The palate is quite racy and spicy with ginger inflecting the mandarin, pear, marmalade and apricot fruit. It displays superb weight and persistency towards the finish with just a faint tang of ginger lingering on the aftertaste."

"Scents of white truffle; candied lime and orange peel; and peach could also be those of a Riesling. Firm, polished, and palpably full of stuffing, yet succulent and downright refreshing in a way Alsace Pinot Gris seldom is, this brings varietally recognizable smoke and lip-smacking saline savor in its finish. As a classic (read: “old-fashioned, dry-tasting”) Alsace Pinot Gris that should drink well for at least 8-10 years, this represents an exceptional value … and if you consider the price of white truffles, it’s a steal!"

"This is an outstanding Yquem, surpassed only by the 2001 during this decade. The nose is very pure, understated at first, unfurling with aeration in the glass, offering honey, acacia, Mirabelle and a hint of apple blossom. The palate has a viscous entry, very pure with honey, white peach, fresh pear, lemon and orange zest, a tangible sense of vibrancy and vigour. Not a powerful Yquem, but one of incisive focus and nervosite, very pure botrytis, adorned with an almost tense zesty finish that succinctly counterpoises the residual sugar."

"Vivid ruby. Textbook syrah aromas of cherry, dark berries, smoked meat and violet, with a mineral note adding vibrancy. Juicy and well-defined on the palate, offering fresh blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that expand on the back end. Finishes sweet and very long, with resonating floral and spice notes and impressive energy."

"Very plump and showy up front. ...with apricot, papaya and mango, then offering more zip and delineation on the back end, with mineral and floral notes adding length to the rich finish, where a nice echo of unctuous fruit lingers."

"Ripe, with the lush crème de cassis and crushed plum fruit of the vintage, showing excellent focus and drive, with racy acidity and taut, licorice-tinged structure. Turns flashy and exotic on the finish, with mulled blueberry, incense and fruitcake notes that are laid over impressive, graphite-filled grip."

"A remarkable pungency and brightness of rhubarb preserves, pink grapefruit marmalade, and glazed pineapple laced with lime and sage oil scent the Weinbach 2007 Gewurztraminer Mambourg Selection de Grains Nobles and generate an electrically charged, sweet and tart palate impression, with 128 grams of residual sugar cut down to mere sweetness by atypically high acids and implosive extract. Seldom will one encounter a Gewurztraminer with remotely this sort of vivacity, and tasted blind I would more likely have guessed this to be a Muscat or Scheurebe. The finish is amazingly penetrating, if a bit raw."

"Quite ripe, boasting layered fig, boysenberry and raspberry ganache flavors, but nicely offset by graphite, bittersweet cocoa and dark tobacco notes. The long, solid, grippy finish lets a hint of black tea flicker in and out."

"As I have mentioned before, the Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis is a blend of some of the very best sites the Guigal family owns in Cote Rotie. This cuvee is aged 38 months in 100% new oak casks, and about 2,000 cases are produced. The component parts include the famed vineyards of La Garde, L’Enclos, Grande-Plantee, Pommiere, Pavillon, Le Moulin and more recently, La Viria, which I still believe will turn out to be Guigal’s fourth single vineyard Cote Rotie when Marcel and his son, Philippe, decide it can stand alone. A super effort, the 2007 reveals notes of black raspberries, ground pepper, lard, roasted coffee, herbs and cassis as well as hints of licorice and tapenade, and sweet tannin. It is one of the most aromatically complex Chateau d’Ampuis Cote Roties I have ever tasted. The silkiness of the tannins and the up-front forwardness of the wine suggest it should be drunk over the next 10-12 years." 92-94 pts, reviewed by Robert Parker.