Château Cantemerle Haut Medoc 2009

This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with the Cabernet dominating, looks to be the best they have ever produced, even eclipsing the 2005. Dense purple in color, with extraordinarily elegant floral notes intermixed with raspberry, black currant, cherry, and spice box, it is medium to full-bodied, not massive, but ... more

Château Cantenac-Brown Margaux 2009

The greatest Cantenac Brown I have ever tasted, this monumental effort possesses enormous concentration, with loads of black and blue fruits intermixed with damp earth and forest floor. I have never seen a Cantenac Brown so seamless, so powerful, yet at the same time, so elegant and densely complex. They ... more

Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac 2009

The highest levels of polyphenols ever measured at Lynch Bages (20% higher than any prior vintage) are found in the 2009, which achieved 13.4% natural alcohol, and a normal pH of 3.64. Composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it is the ... more

Château Montrose St. Estephe 2009

1989 and 1990 deja vu all over again? If you think the 2003 Montrose (which merited 100 points) was powerful (13.2% alcohol), keep in mind that the 2009 Montrose came in at 13.7% alcohol. There is no sense of hotness, only extraordinary transparency and precision, allied to massive fruit intensity. ... more

Château La Fleur Petrus Pomerol 2008

The famous Bordeaux firm of Jean-Pierre Moueix purchased this estate in 1952, and today the management and winemaking is overseen by the talented Christian Moueix. The vineyard is located in between Chateaux Lafleur and Pétrus, giving Lafleur-Pétrus its name, and is planted to 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. The ... more

Chateau Leoville Barton St. Julien 2008

This 2nd Growth vineyard is planted to 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc and the average age of the vines is over 30 years. The wine itself is made at Langoa Barton, since Leoville Barton does not have its own chateau, but it possesses a great reputation. ... more

Château Branaire Ducru Saint-Julien 2008

Planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, with vines averaging 40 years, this fourth growth producer can easily rival a third growth, if not a second, yet it remains a great value and a favorite of Bordeaux wine drinkers. The final blend of ... more

Château Gloria Saint Julien 2008

Planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, the estate's vines are very old, averaging close to 50 years, and the wine's wonderfully supple, focused red fruit flavors are a real crowd-pleaser. This has become a Bottle Shop Favorite for its value and classic ... more

Château La Fleur de Gay Pomerol 2008

This luxury cuvée composed of 100% Merlot hails from a 7 1/2 acre vineyard boasting old vines averaging 45+ years. Situated between Pétrus and Vieux-Château-Certan, La Fleur de Gay is part of Dr. Alain Raynaud's better-known estate, La Croix de Gay. Aged in 100% new oak, this wine is characterized ... more

Chateau La Croix St. Georges Pomerol 2008

Superbly situated next to Vieux Château Certan and Le Pin, this small production 'garage' wine is made of 100% Merlot from an 11 acre vineyard. The wine receives all of the trendy, yet quality-driven treatments which are popular amoung Pomerol and Saint Emilion's elite such as open-top wood fermentation, punching ... more

Château Clinet Pomerol 2008

This is the greatest Clinet since the incredible duo made by the late Jean-Michel Arcaute in 1989 and 1990. The dense purple-colored 2008 offers up beautiful floral, blackberry, and pen ink-like notes, exceptional intensity, that multilayered texture that seems to be commonplace in the top 2008 Pomerols, silky but elevated ... more

Château Pavie Macquin St. Emilion 2008

I tasted this wine on four occasions, on one of which I was convinced it was still going through malolactic fermentation. It is another superb effort from this property that was elevated to premier grand cru classe status until a judge in Libourne, for unknown reasons, threw out the classification, ... more