Decanter (100)

This stunning wine is still extremely young, with an amazingly expressive nose with tea leaf hints. The aromatics keep building and building in the glass, and the elegance and persistency shine through. This was a drought year, unusual because it was almost perfect from beginning to end with not a drop of rain from May to October. Temperatures were not hot like 2003, of course, so the ripening was slow and complete, with relatively small yields and relatively high alcohol. This is full of energy and the flavours just keep on going, while those tannis have really started to embrace the fruit and showcase their elegance. It's concentrated and luscious yet focussed and beautifully balanced - the perfect example of how they don't need excess to deliver something truly extraordinary in Bordeaux.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

I’ve had many brilliant bottles of the 2005 Château Larcis Ducasse but it’s never shown as spectacularly as on this occasion. It’s a magical, phenomenal Saint-Emilion that couldn’t get any better. Stunningly pure crème de cassis, white truffle, white flowers, cedar pencil, and smoked earth nuances all emerge from this incredibly powerful, opulent wine that has the hallmark minerality, freshness and focus of this great terroir. Don’t miss this!

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating. All the elements are so seamlessly put together. Graphite, crème de cassis, licorice, dark spice and lavender infuse the 2005 with so much energy. More than anything else, though, the 2005 is a Latour of texture and resonance. Even after several hours, the 2005 is fresh and full of energy. Wines like this are just life affirming. That's about all I can really say. Tasted two times.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating. All the elements are so seamlessly put together. Graphite, crème de cassis, licorice, dark spice and lavender infuse the 2005 with so much energy. More than anything else, though, the 2005 is a Latour of texture and resonance. Even after several hours, the 2005 is fresh and full of energy. Wines like this are just life affirming. That's about all I can really say. Tasted two times.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating. All the elements are so seamlessly put together. Graphite, crème de cassis, licorice, dark spice and lavender infuse the 2005 with so much energy. More than anything else, though, the 2005 is a Latour of texture and resonance. Even after several hours, the 2005 is fresh and full of energy. Wines like this are just life affirming. That's about all I can really say. Tasted two times.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating. All the elements are so seamlessly put together. Graphite, crème de cassis, licorice, dark spice and lavender infuse the 2005 with so much energy. More than anything else, though, the 2005 is a Latour of texture and resonance. Even after several hours, the 2005 is fresh and full of energy. Wines like this are just life affirming. That's about all I can really say. Tasted two times.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating. All the elements are so seamlessly put together. Graphite, crème de cassis, licorice, dark spice and lavender infuse the 2005 with so much energy. More than anything else, though, the 2005 is a Latour of texture and resonance. Even after several hours, the 2005 is fresh and full of energy. Wines like this are just life affirming. That's about all I can really say. Tasted two times.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is as compelling a Cabernet Sauvignon as one could ever hope to taste. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a high-elevation site boasts an inky/purple color, and smells of ink, blueberry liqueur, blackberries, black raspberries, mulberries, licorice, charcoal and camphor. With magnificent fruit richness, a layered, full-bodied mouthfeel, and incredible length, this seamlessly constructed 2012 should provide immense pleasure for 25+ years. Kudos to winemaker Chris Carpenter as he is clearly at the top of his game.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is as compelling a Cabernet Sauvignon as one could ever hope to taste. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a high-elevation site boasts an inky/purple color, and smells of ink, blueberry liqueur, blackberries, black raspberries, mulberries, licorice, charcoal and camphor. With magnificent fruit richness, a layered, full-bodied mouthfeel, and incredible length, this seamlessly constructed 2012 should provide immense pleasure for 25+ years. Kudos to winemaker Chris Carpenter as he is clearly at the top of his game.

The Wine Cellar Insider (100)

Intoxicating scents of caramel, violets, smoke, licorice, plum and maraschino cherries take almost no time to find. Pure silk and velvet on the palate, the wine is seriously concentrated with an elegant, refined, fresh, tannic, rich, well defined, profile that has a lot more to say than it lets on for the moment. If I had to sum the wine up in a single word, compelling wold not do it justice. 5-10 years will add a lot to this already sublime wine.

The Wine Cellar Insider (100)

Intoxicating scents of caramel, violets, smoke, licorice, plum and maraschino cherries take almost no time to find. Pure silk and velvet on the palate, the wine is seriously concentrated with an elegant, refined, fresh, tannic, rich, well defined, profile that has a lot more to say than it lets on for the moment. If I had to sum the wine up in a single word, compelling wold not do it justice. 5-10 years will add a lot to this already sublime wine.

The Wine Cellar Insider (100)

Intoxicating scents of caramel, violets, smoke, licorice, plum and maraschino cherries take almost no time to find. Pure silk and velvet on the palate, the wine is seriously concentrated with an elegant, refined, fresh, tannic, rich, well defined, profile that has a lot more to say than it lets on for the moment. If I had to sum the wine up in a single word, compelling wold not do it justice. 5-10 years will add a lot to this already sublime wine.

James Suckling (100)

So much dried flower, mushroom, iron, rust, sweet berry, and grilled orange. Full-bodied with very elegant and refined tannins that melt in the mouth and give a real sense of place and integrity. Balanced and harmonious. The finesse and finish is endless. Production was 30% less than in 2011. Already so drinkable. A wonderful future. This is the new 1934 or 1964, two legends. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (100)

I have been terribly excited about this wine since I first learned that (part of) it was still in cement waiting to be bottled in September 2013. I consider the rare white Castillo Ygay one of the greatest white wines ever produced in Spain, and the 1986 Castillo Ygay Blanco Gran Reserva Especial is a great addition to the portfolio of the winery--an historic wine that is coming back to life. I did a vertical tasting of many of the old, historic vintages of this wine, and they are included in a separate article in this very same issue. This 1986 had seen the light as a limited early release bottled in 1992 and sold around 1995, and some bottles might still be found in the market. But most of it remained unbottled and was kept at the winery, where it stayed in oak for 21 years, followed by some six years in cement vats until it was bottled. It has 13.5% alcohol, an extremely low pH of 2.98 and 6.75 grams of acidity (tartaric). It has a very subtle nose and it's a bit shy, a little closed at first. It was only bottled one and a half years ago, and it's not crazy to say that the wine is showing extremely young. The wine shows more open the day after, when it has developed some nuances of mushrooms and verbena tea. This is mostly Viura with perhaps a pinch of Malvasía Riojana (aka Alarije). The palate is both powerful and elegant, with superb acidity and great length, with volume and sharpness, with a mineral, umami-driven finish. It fills your mouth, tickles your taste buds and makes you salivate. There is nothing negative about the wine; there is no excess oak, nothing blurry, nothing to improve... perhaps the bottle used! I think this is a perfect wine. It seems to be getting younger and younger with time in the glass; it seems to be getting more focused and sharper, and I have no doubt the wine will evolve and last for a very, very, very long time in bottle. I kept the opened bottle for almost one week and the wine didn't move one inch--no oxidation or any signs of fatigue. Having tasted many other vintages, including the also perfect 1919 (which is still going strong at age 97), I have no doubt we're talking about a white for the next 50 years. Looking at the older vintages, I might even be underestimating its life span. The potential next release could be the 1998 in no less than ten years' time.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

A wine that's been closed every time I've been lucky enough to taste it previously, the 1986 Château Mouton Rothschild appears to have finally come around, and it’s pure Bordeaux gold today. Still deeply hued and vibrant, with no bricking, it has a powerful, full-bodied style carrying lots of pure black currants, scorched earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, and roasted coffee-like aromatics. Full-bodied and still incredibly concentrated on the palate, it has a massive mid-palate, polished yet still present tannins, and an incredible finish. A legendary bottle of wine, it lived up to every expectation on this occasion. It probably has another 50 years of life, but it's in a great spot today.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

A wine that's been closed every time I've been lucky enough to taste it previously, the 1986 Château Mouton Rothschild appears to have finally come around, and it’s pure Bordeaux gold today. Still deeply hued and vibrant, with no bricking, it has a powerful, full-bodied style carrying lots of pure black currants, scorched earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, and roasted coffee-like aromatics. Full-bodied and still incredibly concentrated on the palate, it has a massive mid-palate, polished yet still present tannins, and an incredible finish. A legendary bottle of wine, it lived up to every expectation on this occasion. It probably has another 50 years of life, but it's in a great spot today.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

This is pure pleasure, with tiny pulses of electricity, brushed leather, sulphur, loam, truffle, blackberry, black cherry, with touches of silky tannins, smoked caramel and black chocolate. A wine that makes you smile, so much depth and power, barely out of its primary phase, but we are starting now to get the whole picture of what it will become. There is a lush edge to the tannins now that was not the case even two years ago. Such a different expression from the 2009 and 2010 Mouton, with this a little more old school in its charms, and for me you can now project yourself foraward, more like the 1986, a little dry and strict at first, but finessed and gorgeous, delivering grip, punch and magic. Eric Tourbier and Philippe Dhalluin on the technical team. 63% first wine, extremely low for the time (lowest since 1975, whereas today they are regularly below 50%). If you are going to open this anytime soon, think of it as a bottle to enjoy very slowly over four or five hours seeing the nuances develop. 100% new oak.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

This is pure pleasure, with tiny pulses of electricity, brushed leather, sulphur, loam, truffle, blackberry, black cherry, with touches of silky tannins, smoked caramel and black chocolate. A wine that makes you smile, so much depth and power, barely out of its primary phase, but we are starting now to get the whole picture of what it will become. There is a lush edge to the tannins now that was not the case even two years ago. Such a different expression from the 2009 and 2010 Mouton, with this a little more old school in its charms, and for me you can now project yourself foraward, more like the 1986, a little dry and strict at first, but finessed and gorgeous, delivering grip, punch and magic. Eric Tourbier and Philippe Dhalluin on the technical team. 63% first wine, extremely low for the time (lowest since 1975, whereas today they are regularly below 50%). If you are going to open this anytime soon, think of it as a bottle to enjoy very slowly over four or five hours seeing the nuances develop. 100% new oak.

Wine Spectator (100)

Opulent and flamboyant are the two words that come to mind with this wine. Aromas of blackberries, dark chocolate and toasted oak follow through to a full-bodied palate, with big, chewy tannins (yet they are refined and silky) and a long, long finish. This is a full-throttle Palmer. Superripe and delicious. Score range: 95-100

Wine Spectator (100)

Opulent and flamboyant are the two words that come to mind with this wine. Aromas of blackberries, dark chocolate and toasted oak follow through to a full-bodied palate, with big, chewy tannins (yet they are refined and silky) and a long, long finish. This is a full-throttle Palmer. Superripe and delicious. Score range: 95-100

James Suckling (100)

A very complex nose of lavender, currants, spices, and hot stones. Full and dense on the palate, with a very tight structure. The tannins have a perfect polish to their density, and the finish is very intense, with wonderful fruit and truffle character. This turns almost decadent, with tremendous energy and a constantly changing profile. This is a very challenging wine to get to know, please leave this for at least ten years. Pull the cork in 2015.

Wine Advocate (100)

Gérard Perse believes this is the greatest Pavie he’s made to date, although certainly I would argue that list includes the 2000, as well as the 2009 and 2010, among his superstars. This wine, which I had both in the 2005 horizontal report in the Wine Advocate, and at a mini-vertical with Perse at the restaurant Maison Boulud in Montreal, looks to be a 75- to 100-year wine. Dense, opaque purple to the rim, with a gorgeously promising nose of blackberries, cassis, graphite and cedar wood just beginning to emerge, it tastes more like a three-year-old than wine that is already a decade old. This beauty is intense and full-bodied, with magnificent concentration, a majestic mouthfeel and a total seamless integration of tannin, wood, alcohol, etc. Beautifully rich, full and multidimensional, this is a tour de force in winemaking and certainly one of the top dozen or so 2005 Bordeaux. Forget it for another 3-5 years and drink it over the following 50-100 years!

Wine Advocate (100)

Gérard Perse believes this is the greatest Pavie he’s made to date, although certainly I would argue that list includes the 2000, as well as the 2009 and 2010, among his superstars. This wine, which I had both in the 2005 horizontal report in the Wine Advocate, and at a mini-vertical with Perse at the restaurant Maison Boulud in Montreal, looks to be a 75- to 100-year wine. Dense, opaque purple to the rim, with a gorgeously promising nose of blackberries, cassis, graphite and cedar wood just beginning to emerge, it tastes more like a three-year-old than wine that is already a decade old. This beauty is intense and full-bodied, with magnificent concentration, a majestic mouthfeel and a total seamless integration of tannin, wood, alcohol, etc. Beautifully rich, full and multidimensional, this is a tour de force in winemaking and certainly one of the top dozen or so 2005 Bordeaux. Forget it for another 3-5 years and drink it over the following 50-100 years!

Wine Advocate (100)

A perfect wine in this vintage, the 2005 Péby Faugères has the classic liqueur of blueberries and spring flowers. Dense purple and full-bodied, with unbelievable richness, this tastes like a great Napa Cab from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, even though there’s no Cabernet Sauvignon in it. This is a sensational wine – rich, full and multi-dimensional, with a skyscraper-like mid-palate and finish. Kudos to Péby Faugères for producing one of the perfect wines of the vintage. Drink it in about 3-4 years as well as over the following two decades.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2005 Petrus is dazzling. Rich, ample and explosive, the 2005 possesses magnificent density from start to finish. An exotic mélange of cedar, blood orange, spicebox, mint and dried flowers leads into a core of deep, concentrated fruit. All the elements meld together seamlessly in a Petrus that simply has it all. Readers fortunate enough to taste it will find a statuesque, monumental Petrus that is both powerful and refined. The 2005 continued to improve as I tasted it into the second day. It is without question one of the standout wines of 2005.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2005 Petrus is dazzling. Rich, ample and explosive, the 2005 possesses magnificent density from start to finish. An exotic mélange of cedar, blood orange, spicebox, mint and dried flowers leads into a core of deep, concentrated fruit. All the elements meld together seamlessly in a Petrus that simply has it all. Readers fortunate enough to taste it will find a statuesque, monumental Petrus that is both powerful and refined. The 2005 continued to improve as I tasted it into the second day. It is without question one of the standout wines of 2005.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)

The 2005 Petrus is dazzling. Rich, ample and explosive, the 2005 possesses magnificent density from start to finish. An exotic mélange of cedar, blood orange, spicebox, mint and dried flowers leads into a core of deep, concentrated fruit. All the elements meld together seamlessly in a Petrus that simply has it all. Readers fortunate enough to taste it will find a statuesque, monumental Petrus that is both powerful and refined. The 2005 continued to improve as I tasted it into the second day. It is without question one of the standout wines of 2005.

James Suckling (100)

This is incredibly complex and complete with white and black-truffle aromas, as well as wet earth and blackcurrants. Then, it changes to tobacco, cedar and wild forest fruit. Dazzling complexity in both the nose and palate. Full-bodied, yet tight and harmonious. The tannins melt into the wine. Drinkable now, but one for the cellar. This estate could one day rival Harlan, which shares its ownership.

Wine Advocate (100)

Another compelling, perfect wine is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard Old Sparky. This is Clone 4 and Clone 6, as well as Clone 337, blended together from the Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, aged in 100% new Darnajou barrels. For whatever reason, this wine seems to show more chocolate, espresso roast, barbecue smoke, dense blackberry and blueberry fruit and enormous body with not a touch of heaviness or astringency. This is a fabulous offering. It should drink well for 20-25 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Another perfect wine is the 2012 Screaming Eagle which checks in as 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. While just as good as the 2013, it’s made in a very different style and has a lush, opulent, sexy profile as well as the hallmark crème de cassis, white flowers, graphite and spice. With a silky, full-bodied, seamless texture, incredible complexity, ultra-fine tannin, and blockbuster length, this quintessential Screaming Eagle will continue drinking beautifully for 20-25 years.