"Sweet plum, black cherry, and cassis notes intermixed with floral, licorice, spice box, and forest floor scents result in a complex set of aromatics. The wine possesses medium to full body, a round, gentle mouthfeel, ripe tannin, and fresh acids with no evidence of oak. This is a more restrained, less exuberant effort than Lascombes has produced in several recent vintages."
The Wine Advocate, 91-94 pts.
"Blackberry and floral aromas follow through to a medium body, with fine tannins and a clean finish. A little lean."
Wine Spectator, 86-89 pts.
$46.75/750ML btl
$461.00/case of 12
Limit 6 Bottles per customer.
"Damn me for saying it, but I actually think the 2008 Latour will turn out to be even better than the 2005 or 2000...The 2008 Latour is a more concentrated version of the 1996, and that’s saying something...A fabulous infant, it exhibits an inky/purple color as well as extraordinarily pure notes of creme de cassis, crushed rocks, and flowers. The fact that there is no hint of oak is a testament to the vintage’s density and richness. The wine possesses full-bodied power as well as a boatload of tannin, and it is even more backward than Lafite Rothschild. Nevertheless, the hallmark of a great wine and potentially top-notch vintage is the sweetness of the tannin, and that is evident. The wine is young, unevolved, and incredibly pure (another hallmark of this unexpectedly magical vintage) with an amazingly long, textured, layered finish. It should be forgotten for 5-8 years, and consumed over the following four decades." Reviewed by Robert Parker.
The Wine Advocate, 96-98 pts.
"Offers currant and blackberry aromas, with hints of flowers. Starts as a slow attack on the palate, then builds with superpolished tannins and pretty fruit, offering berries and mineral. Long and caressing."
Wine Spectator, 91-94 pts.
2008 - Chateau Leoville Barton
"Another blockbuster, long-term wine from proprietor Anthony Barton, this 2008 is among the biggest, most back-strapping efforts of the vintage...An inky/purple color is followed by notes of forest floor, camphor, red and black fruits, and a hint of wood. This brawny, masculine-styled St.-Julien possesses huge body, massive concentration, and mouth-searing levels of tannin. However, the tannins are much sweeter than the 2005's were at the same stage, so that should not be an issue as long as potential purchasers exercise patience. This impressively pure, classic Bordeaux should be at its finest between 2020-2050." Reviewed by Robert Parker.
The Wine Advocate, 92-94 pts.
"Roses, blackberries, currants and wet earth. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and very pretty fruit. Long and juicy. A delicious wine, very balanced."
Wine Spectator, 90-93 pts.
2008 - Chateau Leoville Las Cases
"The harvest was very late, between October 6-18, and the result is a wine boasting extraordinarily sweet tannin as well as abundant black cherry and cassis notes intermixed with a prominent underlying minerality. Despite the massive density, concentration, and length, the wine is extremely precise, nuanced, and impeccably pure. This phenomenal effort should be more drinkable in its youth than many other vintages of Las Cases because of the ripe tannins and sweet fruit density." Reviewed by Robert Parker.
The Wine Advocate, 95-97+ pts.
"Wonderful nose of roses, violets, raspberries and black licorice. Full-bodied, with a solid core of ripe fruit and lots of beautiful wood. Excellent."
Wine Spectator, 91-94 pts.
$125.00/750ML btl
$1,500.00/case of 12
2008 - Chateau Leoville Poyferre
"This powerful, dense, full-bodied 2008 is still backward and unevolved, but it possesses a dense purple color as well as sweet aromas of creme de cassis, vanillin, crushed rocks, and flowers. With high but ripe tannin and a long finish, this wine will benefit from 5-8 years of cellaring, and should keep for three decades thereafter." Reviewed by Robert Parker.
The Wine Advocate, 92-94 pts.
"There's beautiful purity of fruit in this young wine, with blackberry and raspberry on the nose and hints of toasty oak. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and silky tannins. Turns fresh and lively, with sweet fruit on the finish."
Wine Spectator, 90-93 pts.
"One of the finest efforts yet produced by this estate, the 2008 Les Gravieres was cropped at a low 27 hectoliters per hectare. It possesses an opaque ruby/purple hue in addition to a sweet bouquet of forest floor, spring flowers, black raspberries, and black currants, full body, the vintage’s tell-tale density, sweet tannin, and surprisingly crisp acids. This luscious St.-Emilion came in at 13% natural alcohol." Reviewed by Robert Parker.
The Wine Advocate, 91-93 pts.
$16.75/750ML btl
$201.00/case of 12
"This strong effort from Lynch Bages may turn out to be the finest wine produced here since the 2000. It is a backward, powerful, opaque purple-colored 2008 with fine acids, firm but sweet tannins, and thick, dense levels of attractive blackberry and cassis fruit intertwined with notions of underbrush, lead pencil shavings, and roasted herbs. It appears to be a denser, richer effort than some of the more lightweight Lynch Bages offerings of recent years." Reviewed by Robert Parker.
The Wine Advocate, 91-93+ pts.
"Beautiful aromas of milk chocolate and crushed berries follow through to a full body, with soft, velvety tannins and a juicy finish."
Wine Spectator, 89-92 pts.
$51.25/750ML btl
$615.00/case of 12
2008 - Chateau Malartic Lagraviere
"Another brilliant effort from an estate that has done superb work over the last 10-15 years, the 2008 reveals sweet, exuberant notes of lead pencil shavings, smoked herbs, sweet earth, and copious quantities of black currant and blackberry fruit. Dense and full-bodied with a richness and texture that are stunningly opulent, with no hard edges, there is plenty of tannin, but they are sweet and unaggressive. Good acidity provides freshness, precision, and definition to the wine’s component parts." Reviewed by Robert Parker.
The Wine Advocate, 91-94 pts.
"Pretty aromas of chocolate and blackberry, with hints of black licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a chewy finish. This has all the potential to be outstanding."
Wine Spectator, 88-91 pts.
$35.00/750ML btl
$420.00/case of 12
2008 - Chateau Malescot St Exupery
"One of the most supple and silky-textured offerings from Margaux, the 2008 displays a burgeoning complexity of leafy tobacco and unsmoked cigar notes interwoven with black raspberries, black currants, and spice box. It is a medium to full-bodied, elegant, pure, long, well-textured wine to enjoy over the next 20 years." Reviewed by Robert Parker.
The Wine Advocate, 91-93 pts.
"Delivers gorgeous aromas of blackberry, raspberry and blueberry. Full-bodied, with superfine tannins and a beautiful core of pure, sweet fruit. So refined and pretty. A cold pre-fermentation maceration yields lots of bright fruit and fine tannins."
Wine Spectator, 90-93 pts.
$37.00/750ML btl
$444.00/case of 12
Limit 6 Bottles per customer.
"This is a superb vintage for Chateau Margaux, and while it may be too early to say this, the 2008 appears superior to the 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2001...As always, the first characteristic one notices is the extraordinary floral component as well as the sweet black currant fruit allied to full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and superb freshness and delineation...The 2008, which appears set for 30-40 years of longevity, is a remarkable effort from this great estate." Reviewed by Robert Parker.
The Wine Advocate, 95-97 pts.
"Currant, blackberry and mineral aromas lead to a solid core of fruit, with fine tannins and a long, clean finish. Refined and very, very pretty."
Wine Spectator, 90-93 pts.
$220.00/750ML btl