3 | Wine | Pessac-leognan / Graves, 750 ml | Page 2

"Mixes tarragon, chervil, lemon zest and salted butter notes together, with a fresh, herb-tinged finish that shows plenty of zip."

"Sixty-four percent of the production went into this wine, and while it displays the vintage’s powerful tannins and structure, it possesses superb concentration, and the minerality/scorched earth notes of a great Haut-Brion. Medium to full-bodied, with perhaps not quite the fleshiness of the 2005 or 2000, it is built more along the lines of the 1998 and 1996. It is a brilliant effort displaying sensational purity, texture, and length that should be exceptionally long-lived." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Rounded and inviting, with hints of pear and apple giving way to more citrus, floral and straw notes. This has good range, with a brisk edge waiting in the wings on the finish."

"This broad, mouthfilling red delivers linzer torte, blackberry preserves and mulled fig notes laced with black tea, bittersweet cocoa and anise accents. The long, fleshy finish has a mouthwatering peppery hint. Approachable, but will cellar well enough."
-Wine Spectator - 91 pts

"A sensational wine from this Pessac-Leognan estate, the 2009 possesses notes of charcoal, graphite, roasted herbs, truffles, spice box, and luxurious quantities of black currant and black cherry fruit. Full-bodied, impressively endowed. and well under the radar for most consumers, this outstanding wine is a sleeper of the vintage and well worth buying. It should drink well for 15 or more years."-Robert Parker

"This has good flesh, with a lilac note giving way to dark mulled plum and linzer torte flavors, studded with black tea and roasted spice hints. Shows nice drive on the finish."

"A blend of just over 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot (last year I mistakenly wrote that the balance was Cabernet Franc), the opaque ruby/purple-colored 2009 reveals notes of scorched earth/burning embers/charcoal, black currants, ripe cherries and lead pencil shavings. Full-bodied and pure with sweet tannin, this is an under-the-radar, high quality claret to drink over the next 20-25 years." -Robert Parker

"I absolutely love this fresh white from Bordeaux! Sauvignon blanc races in with flavors of peach and grapefruit, while Bordeaux' signature semillon offers hints of creamy lemon custard and freshly baked shortbread cookies. Delish! Very soft, pretty and nuanced but zesty and clean, with really nice length and great potential for food pairing. Think about this with salads or fresh seafood meals like halibut and buttered zucchini." - Barb Steadman, Binny's Des Plaines

"One of the stars of the vintage, this elegant, smoky wine has hints of barbecue pit intermixed with sweet black currants and cherries. Dark purple and medium to full-bodied, its impressive finesse and wonderful purity make for a surprisingly forward style of Smith-Haut-Lafitte to drink over the next 15 or so years." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"A sleeper of the vintage and better than its 2010 sibling. ...the plum/garnet-hued 2008 possesses a smoky barbecue, charcoal/burning ember character intermixed with ripe, sweet cherry and black currant fruit. Medium-bodied and beautifully concentrated with silky tannins as well as a long finish, it can be enjoyed over the next 10-15 years." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"This glorious offering possesses sweet tobacco leaf, black currant, mocha, white chocolate, scorched earth and burning ember-like characteristics. Full-bodied, stunningly rich and exceptionally well-endowed, this blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc demands 2-3 years of additional bottle age. It should age gracefully for 35-40 years."