1 | Wine | 91 to 95, 2009 | Page 3

"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."

"Pain grille, pencil lead, Asian spices, incense, violets, and assorted black fruits inform the nose of a complex, intense, layered, spicy, succulent wine with impeccable balance and length. Although it can be approached now, it will benefit from another 2-3 years of cellaring."

"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 2009 Reserve Tapestry is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Dark red fruit, flowers, licorice are some of the notes that emerge from this sleek, beautifully balanced red. As good as this is, it doesn't have the personality of the estate's Cabernets. Still, I like the deep, radiant, fleshy finish."

"There is not a hard edge to be found in this silky Chateauneuf. ...The sexy, full-bodied, dense garnet-colored 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape reveals abundant aromas of kirsch, plums, figs and black fruits, a lavish texture, an opulent mouthfeel and a long finish."

"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.

"The 2009 Profile bursts on the palate with an exciting array of black fruit, smoke, tar, licorice and grilled herbs. It is a muscular wine endowed with considerable depth and richness, but despite its obvious size, all of the elements are in harmony. This big boy will need some cellaring, but it is beautiful."

"The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Origines (1,500 cases produced) is a blend of 50% Grenache, a whopping 30% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah with the latter two components spending time in new oak barrels. All of the fruit comes from vines that are nearly 70 years of age. A great wine with an opaque ruby/purple color, sensational fruit intensity and notes of graphite, lavender, licorice, lead pencil shavings and subtle smoke, it is full-bodied, rich and powerful with low acidity and sweet, velvety tannins. It should drink well for 15+ years" - Robert Parker

"Purple in color, with a brooding bouquet, it is a dense, structured, rich wine with impeccable balance, volume, and length. It has the structure to evolve for 2-3 years but can be approached now. It, too, is a great value."