Top Vintages
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Top Vintages
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Wine Advocate (92)
Tasted at the vertical in London, I had never really warmed to the 1995 Montrose despite tasting its many times. However, this bottle seemed closed to Robert Parker's remarks from 2014. It is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that was harvested from 13 to 26 September. The bouquet is less vigorous and more approachable than the 1996 Montrose, initially quite taciturn, but gaining vigor with time and offering blackberry, briary and undergrowth scents, later just a touch of bay leaf and sandalwood. The palate is driven by the higher Merlot content, rendering this a relatively plush and comely Saint Estèphe, well balanced with very good depth, perhaps a Montrose for those with a penchant for headier and opulent styles of wine. Whilst the 1996 has the class and sophistication, the greatest virtue of the 1995 is the most fundamental: enjoyment. Tasted June 2016.Inc. VAT£284.40 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Harvested 12–27 September. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. Cabernet was rather compromised by rain during the harvest, while the Merlot was very successful. Even darker than the 1996, this Mouton is still remarkably youthful in appearance. More flamboyant on the nose, with cigar-box, spices and leafy blackcurrant notes all evident. There is plenty of concentration and weight for further ageing, although the tannins are a little dry – perhaps a reflection of the harvest conditions. Still a very impressive Mouton.Inc. VAT£3,424.84 -
Wine Spectator (93)
Greatest wine ever made at this estate. A breathtaking wine to drink now, but please wait. Lots of fruit, spice and tomato character. Full-bodied and very velvety, with a long, flavorful finish. Now or later, it's hard to resist.Inc. VAT£853.66 -
Wine Spectator (97)
This is like a genie in the bottle. Fascinating yet subtle aromas of blackberry, minerals, fresh flowers and Spanish cedar. Full-bodied, with wonderful layers of ultrafine tannins. It coats your mouth and tantalizes your palate. A gorgeous thing all around.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 3,200 cases made. -JSInc. VAT£22,316.44 -
Wine Spectator (97)
This is like a genie in the bottle. Fascinating yet subtle aromas of blackberry, minerals, fresh flowers and Spanish cedar. Full-bodied, with wonderful layers of ultrafine tannins. It coats your mouth and tantalizes your palate. A gorgeous thing all around.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 3,200 cases made. -JSInc. VAT£20,950.84 -
Wine Advocate (96)
What sumptuous pleasures await those who purchase either the 1996 or 1995 Pichon-Lalande. It is hard to choose a favorite, although the 1995 is a smoother, more immediately sexy and accessible wine. It is an exquisite example of Pichon-Lalande with the Merlot component giving the wine a coffee/chocolatey/cherry component to go along with the Cabernet Sauvignon's and Cabernet Franc's complex blackberry/cassis fruit. The wine possesses an opaque black/ruby/purple color, and sexy, flamboyant aromatics of pain grille, black fruits, and cedar. Exquisite on the palate, this full-bodied, layered, multidimensional wine should prove to be one of the vintage's most extraordinary success stories. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2020.Inc. VAT£3,102.07 -
Wine Advocate (96)
What sumptuous pleasures await those who purchase either the 1996 or 1995 Pichon-Lalande. It is hard to choose a favorite, although the 1995 is a smoother, more immediately sexy and accessible wine. It is an exquisite example of Pichon-Lalande with the Merlot component giving the wine a coffee/chocolatey/cherry component to go along with the Cabernet Sauvignon's and Cabernet Franc's complex blackberry/cassis fruit. The wine possesses an opaque black/ruby/purple color, and sexy, flamboyant aromatics of pain grille, black fruits, and cedar. Exquisite on the palate, this full-bodied, layered, multidimensional wine should prove to be one of the vintage's most extraordinary success stories. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2020.Inc. VAT£466.40 -
Wine Spectator (94)
Fabulous nose of crushed currants, blackberries and forest flowers. Full-bodied, with plenty of ripe fruit and silky tannins. This is really holding back.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 23,000 cases made. -JSInc. VAT£1,672.87 -
Wine Advocate (94+)
A very powerful, concentrated Tertre Roteboeuf, but completely closed at present, this wine has a deep ruby/purple color, and a sweet nose of black cherry and plum jam intermixed with hints of vanilla, chocolate, and espresso roast. The wine is medium to full-bodied, quite tannic, powerful, and one of the more backward wines I have tasted at this estate. It requires much more cellaring than I originally anticipated. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020. Last tasted, 12/02.Inc. VAT£4,486.87 -
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (95)
Superb, saturated dark ruby color. Knockout aromas of black raspberry, smoked duck and suave, smoky oak. Thick, sweet and velvety in the mouth; the fruit explodes with aeration, saturating those hard-to-reach places in the mouth. Really fabulous sweetness. A slightly roasted note suggests great ripeness (though I recall Thunevin telling me two years ago that this wine could have been even greater had he waited another few days to harvest!). Ultrasuave tannins are buried in a wave of fruit. One of the longest finishes of the vintage. Purists may argue that a wine like this cannot possible match such '95s as Latour or Margaux or Petrus for terroir character or class, but few wines can match the '95 Valandraud for sheer hedonistic pleasure.Inc. VAT£6,490.38
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Wine Advocate (92)
Tasted at the vertical in London, I had never really warmed to the 1995 Montrose despite tasting its many times. However, this bottle seemed closed to Robert Parker's remarks from 2014. It is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that was harvested from 13 to 26 September. The bouquet is less vigorous and more approachable than the 1996 Montrose, initially quite taciturn, but gaining vigor with time and offering blackberry, briary and undergrowth scents, later just a touch of bay leaf and sandalwood. The palate is driven by the higher Merlot content, rendering this a relatively plush and comely Saint Estèphe, well balanced with very good depth, perhaps a Montrose for those with a penchant for headier and opulent styles of wine. Whilst the 1996 has the class and sophistication, the greatest virtue of the 1995 is the most fundamental: enjoyment. Tasted June 2016.Inc. VAT£284.40 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Harvested 12–27 September. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc. Cabernet was rather compromised by rain during the harvest, while the Merlot was very successful. Even darker than the 1996, this Mouton is still remarkably youthful in appearance. More flamboyant on the nose, with cigar-box, spices and leafy blackcurrant notes all evident. There is plenty of concentration and weight for further ageing, although the tannins are a little dry – perhaps a reflection of the harvest conditions. Still a very impressive Mouton.In Bond£2,838.00 -
Wine Spectator (93)
Greatest wine ever made at this estate. A breathtaking wine to drink now, but please wait. Lots of fruit, spice and tomato character. Full-bodied and very velvety, with a long, flavorful finish. Now or later, it's hard to resist.In Bond£690.00 -
Wine Spectator (97)
This is like a genie in the bottle. Fascinating yet subtle aromas of blackberry, minerals, fresh flowers and Spanish cedar. Full-bodied, with wonderful layers of ultrafine tannins. It coats your mouth and tantalizes your palate. A gorgeous thing all around.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 3,200 cases made. -JSIn Bond£18,581.00 -
Wine Spectator (97)
This is like a genie in the bottle. Fascinating yet subtle aromas of blackberry, minerals, fresh flowers and Spanish cedar. Full-bodied, with wonderful layers of ultrafine tannins. It coats your mouth and tantalizes your palate. A gorgeous thing all around.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 3,200 cases made. -JSIn Bond£17,443.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
What sumptuous pleasures await those who purchase either the 1996 or 1995 Pichon-Lalande. It is hard to choose a favorite, although the 1995 is a smoother, more immediately sexy and accessible wine. It is an exquisite example of Pichon-Lalande with the Merlot component giving the wine a coffee/chocolatey/cherry component to go along with the Cabernet Sauvignon's and Cabernet Franc's complex blackberry/cassis fruit. The wine possesses an opaque black/ruby/purple color, and sexy, flamboyant aromatics of pain grille, black fruits, and cedar. Exquisite on the palate, this full-bodied, layered, multidimensional wine should prove to be one of the vintage's most extraordinary success stories. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2020.In Bond£2,553.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
What sumptuous pleasures await those who purchase either the 1996 or 1995 Pichon-Lalande. It is hard to choose a favorite, although the 1995 is a smoother, more immediately sexy and accessible wine. It is an exquisite example of Pichon-Lalande with the Merlot component giving the wine a coffee/chocolatey/cherry component to go along with the Cabernet Sauvignon's and Cabernet Franc's complex blackberry/cassis fruit. The wine possesses an opaque black/ruby/purple color, and sexy, flamboyant aromatics of pain grille, black fruits, and cedar. Exquisite on the palate, this full-bodied, layered, multidimensional wine should prove to be one of the vintage's most extraordinary success stories. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2020.In Bond£386.00 -
Wine Spectator (94)
Fabulous nose of crushed currants, blackberries and forest flowers. Full-bodied, with plenty of ripe fruit and silky tannins. This is really holding back.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 23,000 cases made. -JSIn Bond£1,362.00 -
Wine Advocate (94+)
A very powerful, concentrated Tertre Roteboeuf, but completely closed at present, this wine has a deep ruby/purple color, and a sweet nose of black cherry and plum jam intermixed with hints of vanilla, chocolate, and espresso roast. The wine is medium to full-bodied, quite tannic, powerful, and one of the more backward wines I have tasted at this estate. It requires much more cellaring than I originally anticipated. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020. Last tasted, 12/02.In Bond£3,707.00 -
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (95)
Superb, saturated dark ruby color. Knockout aromas of black raspberry, smoked duck and suave, smoky oak. Thick, sweet and velvety in the mouth; the fruit explodes with aeration, saturating those hard-to-reach places in the mouth. Really fabulous sweetness. A slightly roasted note suggests great ripeness (though I recall Thunevin telling me two years ago that this wine could have been even greater had he waited another few days to harvest!). Ultrasuave tannins are buried in a wave of fruit. One of the longest finishes of the vintage. Purists may argue that a wine like this cannot possible match such '95s as Latour or Margaux or Petrus for terroir character or class, but few wines can match the '95 Valandraud for sheer hedonistic pleasure.In Bond£5,383.00
Bordeaux's relatively diverse weather, particularly its rainfall, means that vintage variation can be quite broad between some years. However advances in wine making techniques, technology and investment has meant that many chateaux are still able to create very good wines in "lesser vintages". From the best vintages wines are made that are clambered for all over the world and mature excellently for many years.
This is a selection of some of our favourite vintages from Bordeaux over the last few decades, as well some more recent ones.
