Martin Bergo

9.2

The 2012 vintage really showcases the brilliance of López de Heredia in a challenging, dry year. Deep garnet with brick hues at the rim; lovely aromas of red cherries and red currants, coffee, spiced cedar, leather, and light oak on the nose; great red and black fruit on the palate, plus earthy notes, dried herbs, and silky and well integrated tannins; and a long, elegant finish with a perfect balance of fruit and acids.

Enjoyed with spanish charcuteries and danish cheeses - and Tchaikovsky’s 6th with Teodor Currentzis. — 15 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Opened and double-decanted several hours prior to service; enjoyed over the course of three hours. The 1996 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core. On the nose, the wine is developing and loaded with currants, pencil lead, earth and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and super grippy; slightly bitter and earthy. A lovely, classic expression of Bordeaux and drinking well in its prime. Drink now through 2046. — a month ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Medium ruby , with garnet ruby rim . Quite cool spicy cassis , mineral grafite nose . Blackberry , seashell , mineral notes . On the palate good richness with ripe blackberry , cassis and grafite . Lovely ripe , fine tannins and really good freshness . Good grafite , cassis tinged length. Shows a lot of potential , young still , needs time .. come back in 10 years and will last well a further 10 . — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium ruby garnet , garnet terracotta rim. Slightly sweet , roasted nose, with chestnut some sous bois , grafite , slight seaside hints. After a while a touch more herbal. On the palate quite stern dark fruits , mineral , grafite notes , quite dry tannin and ok balanced acidity . Reasonable length and sous bois , grafite tinged finish . This is still quite young though its appearance is slightly more advanced than the 1988 . Needs a decant and held up well over the 5 hours we had it open . Drink now and over the next 5-10 years. A little pedestrian overall and is outclassed by the superior 1988. — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium ruby , terracotta , garnet rim . Quite aromatic , with cedar , tobacco , leafy redcurrant , blackcurrant , wet earth. Slightly rounded and red fruit focused sous bois on the palate , quite high acidity , but refined and red fruit focused. Slightly green tannins , but overall reasonable mineral tinged length . This is at peak , leafy but charming — a month ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Quite deep ruby garnet core and medium ruby garnet rim. This is showing more development, with cedar , cigar box , cassis and blackberry richness , aromatic and enticing from the very beginning . On the palate with is well balanced with a good mineral backbone , grafite and blackcurrant hints , really good symmetry and balanced , refreshing acidity , polished fine tannin . Long finish . Showing well now , in a really good spot where this has development on the nose but no lack of fruit of backbone on the palate . Will certainly continue at this level for another 10- 15 years . — a month ago

Jay Kline

10

A physically pristine example from a well established cellar, the cork pulled clean and without so much as a hint of compromise. It was subsequently double decanted several hours in advance. The 2000 Margaux pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. The nose: developing and simply stunning. A cornucopia of cassis, black bramble fruit, purple flowers, tobacco, new leather, cocoa, fine woody notes, dry gravelly earth and gorgeous baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid; the structure acting like the flying buttresses of Notre Dame. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is forever long and impossibly silky. Sensationally balanced.

To my palate, this falls into the very small category of wines that require no additional inquest. It is utterly complete. And, when I consider the company and circumstances, perfect. Drink now with a healthy decant and through 2100. — a month ago

Tom Garland

9.4

From 3L bottle

1 hour decant. A majestic dark garnet color with some bricking. On the nose: perfumed fragrant notes of dark plum, currants, creme brulee, herbaceous, eucalyptus, wet forest floor. Taste: silky, creamy, wonderful coat your palate wine with red plum/cherry, that Cos spice, mineral, graphite, worn leather, and a smokey chocolate coffee medium plus finish. YUM! — a month ago

with Brenda

Jay Kline

9.1

Opened earlier in the day and double-decanted to be served several hours later. The 1966 pours a pale garnet color with a transparent core. This is red fruit heavy and sanguine with ferrous earth, leather, and old wood. The tannins are firm still. An almost evergreen St-Estèphe that’s iron clad and tough as nails. Better than good but at nearly 60 years old, will it ever relax? Hard to say. It would likely survive another 60 years but it’s hard to imagine it evolving a lot considering where we’re at today. So...drink now, I guess? — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Double decanted two nights before service. The 2006 pours a deep, slightly hazy garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with a mix of desiccated fruit and funky umami notes: bruised and desiccated strawberry, red rope licorice, nori, Cherry Dr. Pepper, cracked black pepper and leather. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is forever long and saline; it just hangs around forever. Initially, this came across as bit backward but it really gained power and character the more time it spent in the glass. Drink now with patience and through 2036. — 2 months ago