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'A potential candidate for perfection is the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin, which may turn out to eclipse my favorite Chaupin to date, the 2007, and closely behind it, the 2009. Dense blackish/purple, with extraordinary intensity, precision and focus, this wine is very backward due to the higher acids in this vintage, but has a layered, skyscraper-like texture and a stunning nose of kirsch, black raspberries, lavender, and spice box. Some licorice also makes an impression. Enormously concentrated yet relatively delicate and light on its feet for a wine that is probably 15%-plus in alcohol and as concentrated as this is, it should be a future legend of Chateauneuf du Pape and evolve for 20-25 years.'

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1 case In Stock

'Made in a more masculine style, the 2008 Dominus has all of that along with bigger body and more structure, fat, density and texture. Both are brilliant wines and they represent the finest back-to-back vintages for Dominus since 2001 and 2002 or 1990 and 1991. Both the 2007 and 2008 Dominus should drink well for 25-30 years. ' - Robert Parker

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21 cases In Stock

'Consistently scoring between 98-100, the superb 1982 Margaux may be slightly bigger, bolder, and more masculine than vintages produced over the last 15-20 years. Its dark plum/purple color is followed by notes of melted tar intermixed with sweet cassis and floral underpinnings. Very full-bodied and dense for a Chateau Margaux, with a slight rusticity to the tannins, it boasts blockbuster power, richness, and impressive aromatics. It appears set for another 30-40 years of life.' - Robert Parker

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3 cases In Stock

The 1990 d'Armailhac is dark ruby/purple, with an expressive nose of smoked nuts, cassis, smoke, and chocolate, this velvety textured, round, agreeable wine lacks structure and length on the palate. It is charming, but less concentrated than the 1989.

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1 case In Stock

'This elegant, stylish, well-delineated Beychevelle offers finesse and beauty in a medium-bodied, firmly-structured, flavorful format. Red and black currants, licorice, minerals, spice, and tar notes are subtle, but persuasive. While it does not cut an enormous swath across the palate, the wine's acidity, alcohol, and tannin are well-balanced. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2016.' - Robert Parker

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'Just being released, the spectacular 2007 Hermitage Ex-Voto exhibits a discrete hint of oak (despite its 42 month aging in 100% new French oak) along with plenty of creme de cassis, lead pencil shaving and blackberry liqueur characteristics. Full-bodied with magnificent concentration and richness, silky tannins and a long, long finish, this remarkable 2007 is the Hermitage of the vintage. It should drink well for 30-40+ years.'

'The following paragraph is taken from issue #193, but I believe it is so important to understand the Guigal philosophy that I am repeating it verbatim. “As I have written many times before, no one in the wine world is better at ‘raising’ a wine (or as the French call it elevage) than Marcel Guigal, who learned the skills from his father, Etienne. Because everyone tends to focus on vintage conditions and terroir, the importance of a wine’s elevage is often overlooked, but Guigal’s unusually long tank, foudre and small barrel aging regime for all his red wines as well as several of his whites results in an array of remarkable wines time and time again. Even the most challenging vintages, which often taste under-nourished, vegetal and thin in their first year or two of life, tend to take on concentration and character, turning out to be some of the finest wines in many of the most difficult Rhone vintages. Moreover, Guigal’s wines always taste better out of bottle than from barrel, which speaks to his honesty and integrity as well as to his brilliance in deciding how long to age a wine in wood or tank, as well as choosing the perfect moment to bottle it. None of this is as simple as it might sound, and that’s why Marcel Guigal gets my vote as the reigning genius in terms of the upbringing of his wines.” Crozes-Hermitage has become one of the Guigal “go-to” wines for value hunters and he has raised the level of this humble appellation dramatically with his recent efforts. Guigal has become a master of red and white St.-Joseph, producing separate cuvees, all of which are usually stunning. Guigal is the appellation’s largest producer of Condrieu. All of his Condrieus are put through 100% malolactic, with his basic cuvee aged in stainless steel (66%) and small oak barrels (34%). Guigal also excels with white Hermitage. In truly great vintages he also produces a limited cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne from two of the most renowned sectors for Hermitage, l’Ermite and Les Murets. Along with Michel Chapoutier’s St.-Joseph Les Granits, Guigal’s St.-Joseph Vignes de l’Hospice is the top wine of the appellation. Guigal purchased this 8-acre parcel of steep hillside vines from Grippat. Aged 30 months in 100% new oak, this wine is extraordinary. Guigal claims the soil is reminiscent of Les Bessards Vineyard in Hermitage Over the last decade, Guigal has dramatically increased his vineyard holdings in Hermitage, purchasing the estates of Jean-Louis Grippat as well as the Hermitage holdings of De Vallouit. He now has parcels in such famed vineyards as Le Meal, Les Beaumes, Les Bessards and Dionnieres. Guigal’s basic red Hermitage (which has been made for over five decades) is generally aged for more than three years in small casks, of which about 45% are new. In exceptional vintages, Guigal will cull out a special cuvee called Ex-Voto, which is aged 42 months in 100% new French oak. One thousand cases are usually made from three separate vineyards (40% from Les Bessards, 40% from Les Greffieux and 20% from Les Murets.)' - Robert Parker

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23 cases In Stock

'Intense, elegant and pure spicy black fruit aromas that still remain relativley, if not completely, primary even after 19 years are followed by rich, full, robust and still moderately structured flavors of notable detail and precision that culminate in a wonderfully long, palate staining finish. At this point, the right food is important as the '89 GE is just now arriving at the front edge of real drinkability and it should hold here for years to come. Solidly impressive juice whose only flaw is the barest trace of finishing greenness. In sum, a very good rather than great example, at least by the lofty standards of this wine.' - Burghound

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1 case In Stock

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4 cases In Stock

Not as concentrated, opulent, and velvety as the 1989, the 1990 is still a sexy and smooth wine, with a fragrant nose of cassis, smoke, vanillin, roasted nuts, and exotic scents. This luscious wine, with a creamy texture and excellent color, falls off on the palate, much like its siblings, D'Armailhac and Mouton-Rothschild. It should offer delicious drinking for another 8-10 years. Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

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2 cases In Stock

A very different nose of leather, freshly turned earth and relatively high-toned dark pinot fruit that introduces rich, full and velvety medium weight plus flavors blessed with ample dry extract on the concentrated mid-palate that completely buffers the serious and long finish underpinned by a firm tannic spine. This is an impressive wine that displays no rusticity at all. Recommended. Allen Meadows, Burghound.com

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5 cases In Stock

'As I wrote last year, the 2009 Hermitage La Chapelle is easily the greatest, most profound La Chapelle since the 1990. Most of this cuvee comes from Le Meal and Les Bessards vineyards, with a touch of Les Roucoules fruit in the blend. It is an opaque purple-colored wine with enormous concentration in addition to an extraordinary bouquet of graphite, creme de cassis, blackberries, licorice, beef blood and a touch of smoked game. Boasting phenomenal intensity, a full-bodied mouthfeel and 50 years of longevity, the only thing that could possibly hold it back is that most consumers should plan on laying it away for 8-10 years.' Robert Parker.

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1 case In Stock

The 1989 Clos du Mesnil, from a warmer year, makes for a fascinating contrast to the cool inward 1988. It is a bigger, fatter wine that caresses the palate with layers of expansive, generous fruit. Sweet scents of caramel, hazelnuts and honey add complexity to the fruit. Despite its burnished, textured fruit, the 1989 remains light on its feet and superbly well-balanced but it is at, or close to, peak. To put things in perspective, the 1989 was harvested at the beginning of September – the 7th and 8th to be exact – while the 1988 was harvested between September 30th and October 2nd.

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2 cases In Stock

'Beychevelle is on the rebound as evidenced by what they have accomplished over recent years. A good example of this chateau, the elegant, finesse-styled 2004 exhibits black cherry and cassis fruit interwoven with loamy soil, dried herb, and spicy oak notes. Medium-bodied, elegant, finely tuned, and finesse-styled, it is not short on flavor or depth. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2022.' - Robert Parker

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1 case In Stock
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'A beautiful wine with 13.4% natural alcohol, this blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc possesses a deep ruby/purple color as well as a sweet perfume of cassis, incense, charcoal, and subtle oak, round, generously endowed flavors, medium to full body, silky tannin, and surprising depth and length. It can be drunk now and over the next 12-15 years.' - Robert Parker

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9 cases In Stock

'Revealing more grip and tannin since bottling, the 1995 Gruaud-Larose exhibits a dark ruby color, and a nose of sweet black cherries, licorice, earth, and spice. Rich, with medium to full body, high tannin, and subtle oak in the background, the 1995 is nearly as structured and tannic as the 1996. The two vintages are more similar than dissimilar. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020.' - Robert Parker

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5 cases In Stock

"Like several other 1988s, this wine’s rather hard, unyielding, early style has given way to a classically structured Bordeaux with a very youthful color (younger than the 1989), deep, earthy, cassis fruit intermixed with wood, smoke, mineral, and a hint of roasted herbs. The wine has excellent depth, medium to full body, moderate tannin, and a very youthful, vigorous feel. It is approachable, but seems destined to outlive the more renowned and expensive 1989. Somewhat of a sleeper of the vintage." - Robert Parker

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2 cases In Stock

The saturated purple 2004 Valbuena offers up an expressive perfume of mineral, scorched earth, espresso, incense, and black cherry. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied, intensely flavored, spicy wine with layers of fruit, soft tannins, and a pure, lengthy finish. It will benefit from another 5-7 years of bottle age and offer optimal drinking from 2015 to 2029.

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1 case In Stock

'As I have said many times since I first tasted this wine, the 1995 Calon-Segur is one of the great sleepers of the vintage (I bought the wine as a future for a mere $250 a case). The wine has closed down completely since bottling, but it is a sensational effort that may ultimately merit an even higher score. The wine is opaque purple-colored. With coaxing, the tight aromatics reveal some weedy cassis intertwined with truffles, chocolate, and beef blood-like aromas. On the palate, there is an element of sur-maturite (1995 was an extremely late harvest at Calon-Segur), fabulous density and purity, and a boatload of tannin. This deep, broodingly backward, classic Bordeaux will require a decade of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2035.' - Robert Parker

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