1 | Wine | Page 424

"Firm, yet well-balanced tannins support cinnamon, cloves, dark cherries and licorice. The 2010 shows excellent energy and verve, but it naturally needs time in bottle to come together. I especially like the energy and focus here."

"The 2008 Barolo Cannubi bursts from the glass with freshly cut flowers, black cherries, menthol and spices. It is a cool, reserved wine with plenty of Cannubi character. The 2008 is very young, but striking. The delineation, textural elegance and complexity are all first-rate."

"It is a fabulous effort from Rampolla. The 2006 D’Alceo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, is a much tighter-wound wine than the Sammarco but it also seems to be holding back a lot more sheer density in reserve. Full-bodied, rich and monstrously tannic at this stage, it doesn’t taste too different than it did when I first sampled it from tank in November 2006! The wine possesses dazzling inner perfume, refined tannins that need time to emerge and exceptional overall balance."

"Purple-colored, it offers up an enticing bouquet of pain grille, crushed stone, spice box, scorched earth and blackberry. Ripe, layered, and complex, it has gobs of spicy fruit, several years of aging potential, and a lengthy finish."

"The Non-Vintage Muscat is darker amber. It offers fragrant floral, honey, caramel, and raisin notes and is slightly fuller in body."

"It exhibits a deep ruby/purple color, stunning concentration and lots of raspberry, cassis, blueberry and acacia flower notes. With plenty of glycerin, sweet tannin, a long, heady finish and 15%+ alcohol, it should evolve effortlessly for 15 or more years."

"Dried pears, flowers, spices and a hint of French oak are all woven together in a gorgeous wine that captures the essence of Chardonnay from this specific part of the Russian River. Clean veins of minerality frame the saline, bracing finish".

"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2010 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon is an earthier style displaying classic aromas of cassis, plum and pencil shavings with some earth, olives, spice box and cloves. Very structured by firm, grainy tannins, it is concentrated and muscular with good acid freshness through the long and layered finish."

"This is possibly the finest wine I have ever tasted from this property, run by Jean-Luc Thunevin and his partner Murielle Andraud. An absolutely stunning nose of violets, creme de cassis, lead pencil shavings, forest floor and subtle new oak burst from the glass. The wine has great fruit, superb texture, a full-bodied mouthfeel and an extravagantly rich, concentrated palate with low acidity and ripe tannin. Give it another 3-4 years to firm up and lose some baby fat, then drink it over the following 20+ years."-Robert Parker