Conrad Green

9.7

beautiful and precise. Fresh plummy fruit with floral edges and a hint of vanilla. Clear and long. Profound. — 15 days ago

with Matt and Paul

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.6

Two great thanksgiving wines but with a very clear winner and not even difficult to guess. I have zero emotion with the Margaux and love the elegance of the Rayas even in a year that may be a bit less. — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of dinner. The 2012 Cuvée Réservée pours a deep ruby color with a slightly hazy, but mostly transparent core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with fabulous notes of ripe red and black bramble fruit: raspberries, Marionberries, licorice, red flowers, horse blanket, dried herbs, leather, and stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and luscious. This is a very lovely Pegau that is squarely in its prime and strutting all of its stuff. Drink now through 2032. — 2 days ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.2

Slightly muted but still fruity and yeasty. Pleasant but a bit overpriced — 9 days ago

Richard Shin

9.1

For $19, a bargain. Robust all around but balanced. Long finish. Earthy. Dark and inky. Rich blackberry. Buy again. Better than other $30-40 riojas w more age. — 2 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

In 1829, Champagne Bollinger introduced an instantly recognizable, dry, toasty style that has been coveted ever since. Six generations of the Bollinger family have maintained that trademark style, and still owned and managed by the same family since it was founded. Gold color with a nose of fruit and baking spices. On the palate apple and peach, toasty notes with great bubble flow. Long crisp finish ending with yeasty mineral tones. Nice! — 2 days ago

Adam Gäfvert

9.5

I had the 2014 Latour a couple of years back. It was from a half bottle and I remember it was rather disappointing. But this wine has really come around. Or maybe it has been developing much better in a full size bottle. Today it’s graceful, with great posture and in perfect balance. A timeless beauty. I had a few 2014 (both left and right bank) lately and I find them very appealing right now. A unsung vintage that turned out pretty good imo. — 4 days ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Nearly 20 years in bottle. It is still ascending will drink well for another 15 days plus years.

From a warm vintage. Beautiful, even toned fruits with elegant earth & amazing lead pencil bloom for days.

This is approaching its peak, another 5 years from its peak.

Well resolved wine-fruits. The fruits are juicy, blackberries, black raspberries, plum skin, dark cherries & slightly, poached strawberries with a highlight of pomegranate. Mocha, dark chocolate, black tea, sandalwood, sandstone, limestone, some mushroom notes, dark, rich turned earth w/ dry leaves, dry tobacco, dry leather, dry herbs, dry stone, caramel notes, dry, withering, dark, purple & red flowers with excellent acidity, balance, tension, structure and finish for days that lasts 90 seconds. — 10 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

#AgedWineTuesday

Pale lemon in color.

Light nose of citrus fruits, minerals and light yeast.

Medium-bodied with high acidity.

Dry on the palate with limes, grapefruits, green apples, brioche, earth, light yeast, minerals, spices and herbs.

Long finish with limes and herbs.

This is a very tasty Champagne, albeit still young. Elegant and rich with nice complexity. Crisp and refreshing.

Didn't love it right out of the bottle, and needed 45 minutes of airtime to open up properly, so be patient.

I've had a few different vintages of this Champagne, and always enjoyed it.

Needs 5 years to mature properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

A blend of 51% Chardonnay and 49% Pinot Noir. Aged for 8 years on its lees.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$275. — 7 days 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. — 6 days ago