4 | Wine | 86 to 90, 2011 | Page 2

"Copious amounts of rich raspberry, black cherry and currant fruit. Medium-bodied and ripe with good glycerin, purity, texture and balance, it should drink nicely for 2-3 years." -Robert Parker

"It has a dense, saturnine bouquet with blackberry and gravel notes. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, supple blackberry and bilberry notes with a rounded, harmonious finish. This is very fine and well-crafted."

"Notes of blackberry and black cherry are accented by tobacco and spice in this concentrated red, which is fresh and lively, with a firm finish."

"Dark ruby. Red berry and cherry aromas are complemented by subtle pepper and spice. Juicy and seamless, offering plum raspberry and cherry flavors and good, straightforward appeal. Finishes smooth and spicy, leaving a bitter cherry note behind. Offers very good value, with a blend of energy and power that allows it to work with a wide variety of foods."

"Sweet and appealing for its lemon curd and apple pie flavors, lingering easily."

"Pronounced citrus aromas of grapefruit and kumquat with an undercurrent of lime leaf and green apples. Light to medium-bodied, the palate shows very good balance, with expressive citrus flavor, lively acid and a medium-long finish."

"There is also a salty sea breeze character reminiscent of the crushed oyster shell-like note my colleague David Schildknect often detects in Loire Valley whites. This crisp, fresh, medium-bodied Cotes Catalanes exhibits lots of earthy/terroir characteristics. Readers should think of it as a brisk, zesty, authoritatively flavored Chardonnay from the cool, alluvial soils on the banks of the Aigly River." -Robert Parker

"Aromas of white peach, floral notes, and a hint of tropical fruits (especially pineapple) inform the nose of a crisp, spicy, dry wine that is meant for drinking over the next 1-2 years. It is an excellent value."

"Fresh and racy, this features firm minerality and flavors of ripe apricot, baked pear and guava. Lush midpalate, finishing with notes of clove and hints of basil. Expressive."

"Bright purple. Intense aromas of black and blue fruits, with a spicy overtone. Powerful, sharply delineated boysenberry and cherry flavors show very good intensity and gain sweetness with air. Closes with zesty cut, lingering spiciness and a hint of dusty tannins."