1 | Wine | France | Page 3

"Bright orange-pink. Suave, highly perfumed aromas of strawberry, cherry, potpourri and musky herbs, with a mineral overtone. Juicy, focused, refreshingly bitter red fruit flavors are complemented by a note of toasty lees. Closes with lingering spiciness, very good precision and a persistent note of juicy red berries."

"The 2003 is a big, powerful Champagne that will require quite a bit of time to shed some of its baby fat. The trademark textural finesse is there, though. I expect the 2003 to be a highly divisive Champagne because of its extreme personality, but then again, many of the world’s legendary wines were made from vintages considered freakish at the time. The 2003 is an atypically, rich, powerful, vinous Dom Perignon loaded with fruit, structure and personality. It is not for the timid, but rather it is a wine for those who can be patient. No one has a crystal ball, but personally I will not be surprised if in 20 years’ time the 2003 is considered an iconic Champagne."

"This dark ruby/purple-tinged sleeper of the vintage offers a sweet bouquet of black currants, underbrush, licorice and berry fruit. Medium to full-bodied with excellent depth, good acidity and an endearing roundness, it can be enjoyed now and over the next 8-10 years."-Robert Parker

"This crisp, fruit-forward and juicy wine has expressive aromas and flavors of ripe red berries, with nice heft in the mouth, and mineral and spice notes."

"Complex aromas of red and dark berries, Indian spices and violet, with slow-building smokiness. Taut and focused on the palate, offering lively bitter cherry and black raspberry flavors that pick up weight with air. Juicy and nicely concentrated Cotes du Rhone with strong finishing punch and lingering spiciness."

"Refined, with a sweet, smoky undercurrent to the flavors of glazed pear, candied lemon zest and golden raisin, with a hint of marzipan. Racy acidity frames—but doesn't dominate—the wine, with a spicy note lingering on the finish."

"The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape is a traditional blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Syrah and the rest Mourvedre and Cinsault from 50-year-old vines aged in a combination of concrete tanks, old wood foudres and small old barrels. It displays notes of charcuterie, roasted meats, garrigue, kirsch and black currants along with a full-bodied, seriously endowed, super-concentrated mouthfeel that builds like a skyscraper in the mouth. This cuvee possesses remarkable density and richness as well as the potential to last 20 years." -Robert Parker