1 | Wine | Saint Emilion, 91 to 95 | Page 5

"A good value among over-achieving St.-Emilion estates is La Fleur Cardinale’s 2009. Composed of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, some of the abrasive tannins noticeable early on in this big wine (14.5% alcohol) are now sweeter and better integrated. Made from tiny yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare, this is a concentrated, rich effort revealing lots of black cherry and black currant fruit as well as a fragrant, firm, full-bodied personality. It should be at its best between 2016 and 2030." -Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Features a bright feel, with bergamot, raspberry and cherry pit notes. Slightly sinewy through the finish, but hints at fine length and good fruit in reserve."
Reviewed by: Wine Spectator - 88 to 91 pts

"Copious aromas of Christmas fruitcake, cedar wood, underbrush, incense, black currants and black cherries emerge from this sexy, medium-bodied, lush, fruit-forward St.-Emilion. It should be enormously appealing to consumers over the next 10-12 years." -Robert Parker

"The 2012 offers up a beautifully fragrant nose of mocha, coffee beans, black cherries, black currants, spring flowers and forest floor. The complex aromatics are followed by a medium to full-bodied St.-Emilion with beautiful density and purity as well as a touch of toasty oak. Barde-Haut has been an over-achiever since the Garcin-Leveque family acquired it. Bravo!"
Reviewed by: Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate - 90 to 93 pts

"This has a bold, spicy lead, with flashes of anise, cocoa and cinnamon giving way to lightly mulled cherry, raspberry and plum fruit. Delivers a velvety feel on the finish, showing good cut."

"The basic cuvee of 2012 Faugeres is a stunner as well. Made primarily from Merlot blended with some Cabernet Franc, it exhibits plenty of black currant, black cherry, charcoal, graphite and fudge-like notes in addition to a medium to full-bodied, lush, round, generously styled personality. Drink it over the next 7-8 years." -Robert Parker

"Very intense and powerful, with blackberry and chocolate aromas. Full-bodied, with fabulous velvety tannins and a long, long finish. This coats every inch of the palate. Gorgeous and stylish."

"Explosive ripe aromas of redcurrant, minerals, chocolate mint and tomato. Large-scaled, voluptuous and sweet, with very intense berry and chocolate flavors lifted by minerals, menthol and spices. Finishes with wonderfully broad tannins and an extremely long finish that leaves the palate vibrating. From a very cold terroir (the soil is clay over rocky limestone) that takes longer to warm up each day, but in 2005 this vineyard obviously reached near-perfect ripeness. Offers an exciting combination of thickness and depth with lift." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"Beautifully crafted, with tightly focused, refined aromas and flavors of cherry, currant, cedar and toast, firmly supported with soft tannins; turns pretty and ripe on the finish. With its concentration, a safe bet to age."

"One of my favorite St.-Emilion boutique vineyards, La Clotte’s 10 acres of vines average 40-years of age. The 2009 (80% Merlot and the rest mostly Cabernet Franc) offers a beautifully sweet, ripe, opulent texture (typical for this estate) in addition to a dense purple color, and abundant notes of licorice, smoked herbs, meat, and black fruits. Full-bodied and viscous with great precision and fresh acids (the paradoxical characteristic of this vintage), it combines enormous fruit and extraction with off the chart tannins as well as remarkable finesse and elegance. This 2009 should drink well for two decades or more." 92-94 pts, reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Two powerful efforts from proprietor Silvio Denz, the 2009 Faugeres may turn out to be one of the two or three finest examples of this cuvee. Fresh, with bright acids, a dense opaque purple color, and notes of graphite, blueberries, black currants, smoke, and charcoal, this full-bodied, intense, textured, rich 2009 is a blend of 85% Merlot and the rest primarily Cabernet Franc with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. Amazingly, it achieved 14.5% natural alcohol, and should drink well for 15+ years." 90-93 pts, reviewed by Robert Parker.

"This sexy, opulent 2000 St.-Emilion has reached full maturity. It possesses a dense purple color to the rim along with loads of mulberry, creme de cassis, kirsch, espresso, and smoky, toasty oak characteristics, a full-bodied, sumptuous/opulent texture, silky tannins, and abundant flavor complexity." Reviewed by Robert Parker, Jun 2010.