James Suckling (95)

The purity and precision in this wine is very exciting. Medium to full body, firm and chewy tannins and a long finish of currant and spice. Black tea and bark too. Better in 2020 but beautiful now. Decant before serving.

Among the remarkable barolos, the Oreste Stefano Barolo Perno 2007 signals a prestigious blend of artisanal winemaking and high-quality Nebbiolo grapes. This exquisite bottle traces its origins to the sunny vineyards of Barolo, nestled into Italy's renowned Langhe region. Prestigious Italian winemaker Oreste Stefano is lauded for his meticulous vinification techniques, effectively marrying Barolo's distinct traditional style with others of greater finesse.

Structured with 24 months ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels and a further six years bottle ageing, this Oreste Stefano Barolo Perno 2007 offers an extraordinary complexity of aroma, with extraordinary flavours of dark fruit, spice, tobacco leaf and dark chocolate woven through a robust structure and enduring finish. Its expressive layers sing on the palate, revealing why it is adored amongst connoisseurs.

Another reputable performance from Oreste Stefano, the 2007 Barolo Perno perfectly defines why this vineyard is rated so highly in the Barolo sub-region. Stock is limited; secure your bottle of Oreste Stefano Barolo Perno 2007 while supplies last.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2007 Barolo Riserva Ginestra is born in extremely difficult conditions. Fruit is sourced from a hillside plot with impossibly steep inclines and shallow soils (with white tufo and clay) for limited root penetration. These factors help curb the natural vigor of the grapevine and result in high quality fruit. This wine sees a long maceration period (up to 40 days) and almost six years of barrel aging in botte grande. The results are spectacular with rich floral and menthol aromas folded within the wine’s silky texture. This 2007 Riserva feels much younger than it really is. Drink: 2016-2035.

Vinous (96+)

(the 30th anniversary for this cru, which was bottled on its own beginning in 1978; Scavino will offer just over 200 cases, plus a few magnums; bottled with the estate's old gold label): Good deep, youthful red. Deep, pure, almost shockingly primary aromas of black cherry and espresso. At once silky and vinous, saturating the entire palate under a wave of red fruits and smoky minerality. Wonderfully plush and sweet but powerful too, finishing with noble tannins and sexy building length. Impeccable balance gives this wine an almost magical light touch. This slowly evolving wine should gain in complexity for two decades or more. A small quantity of grapes were fermented in a special vertical tank; the fermentation lasted a week and Scavino used a submerged cap for another four or five days of maceration.

Wine Advocate (95)

One of the top successes of the vintage, this blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot was harvested between October 8 and 24. The late harvest ensured perfect ripeness as evidenced by the sweet bouquet of black cherries, lead pencil shavings, cassis and subtle barbecue smoke. Well-balanced with good acidity, ripe tannins, medium to full body and a layered mouthfeel, this excellent 2008 can be drunk now and over the next 15+ years.

Wine Advocate (95)

One of the top successes of the vintage, this blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot was harvested between October 8 and 24. The late harvest ensured perfect ripeness as evidenced by the sweet bouquet of black cherries, lead pencil shavings, cassis and subtle barbecue smoke. Well-balanced with good acidity, ripe tannins, medium to full body and a layered mouthfeel, this excellent 2008 can be drunk now and over the next 15+ years.

Wine Advocate (93)

Composed of 45% Semillon, 43% Sauvignon Blanc, 8% Sauvignon Gris and 4% Muscadelle that hit 14.5% natural alcohol from yields of 22 hectoliters per hectare, this beauty offers up exotic notes of orange marmalade, lemon custard and citrus oil.

Wine Spectator (94)

This finely knit and lithe Champagne is smoky up front, opening into a lovely range of pastry, glazed apricot, lemon curd and candied ginger notes in the glass. Vibrant acidity drives the satinlike finish.

Wine Advocate (97)

It is hard to call Petrus a “sleeper of the vintage,” but the 2008 will merit more attention than most consumers would think. Low yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare resulted in only 25,000 bottles of this beauty. A wine of great intensity (possibly the most concentrated wine of the vintage), this 100% Merlot boasts a dark purple color as well as a sweet perfume of mocha, caramel, black cherries, black currants, earth and forest floor. Deep, unctuously textured, full-bodied and pure, it will benefit from 4-5 years of cellaring and should drink well for 25-30+ years.

Wine Advocate (93+)

Dramatically better, the dark ruby/plum/garnet-hued 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate exhibits a subtly herbaceous nose with hints of sweet raspberries and black currants in the background. More backward than other great vintages such as 2007, 2005, 2004, 2002 and 2001, this medium to full-bodied, substantial 2008 needs 3-4 years of cellaring and should age for 15-20+ years. Although it is not one of his greatest classics, it is still a very fine effort, and will be very long-lived.

Wine Advocate (93)

Disgorged in September 2018 with 4.5 grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Extra Brut Grand Blanc is composed of vins clairs matured in barrel with blocked malolactic and vins clairs matured in tank that were allowed to complete malolactic. Exhibiting aromas of lemon oil, warm bread, hazelnut cream, wet stones and smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and nicely concentrated, with a racy spine of acidity, a fine mousse and delicately chalky structure, concluding with a long and pure finish.

Vinous (98)

The 2008 Clos des Goisses is just as impressive today as it has always been. Rich, dense and explosive, the 2008 exists in three dimensions, with remarkable textural depth and vertical intensity to burn. Clos des Goisses is notoriously slow to develop. Readers who can be patient will be treated to a spectacular Champagne. The blend is 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir, which makes the 2008 a rare Clos des Goisses that favors Chardonnay. About 75% of the lots were fermented in oak. Disgorged April 2017. Dosage is 4.25 grams per liter.

Wine Advocate (98+)

Disgorged in March 2019, the 2008 Extra Brut Clos des Goisses Juste Rosé is a fabulous forthcoming release from Philipponnat, opening in the glass with aromas of rose petals, warm bread, red berries, papaya and spices. On the palate, it's full-bodied, ample and layered, with an incisive spine of acidity, excellent concentration and a tight-knit core, concluding with a long, intense and chalky finish. This is still a very youthful, tensile rosé and patience will be required of anyone hoping to drink it at its peak of maturity.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Full bottle 1,697 g. From vineyards including the historic plots at Le Léon in Aÿ, complemented by Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger. Red wines from Mareuil. 72% Pinot Noir and 28% Chardonnay. Dosage 4.5 g/l, eight years sur latte, disgorged March 2019. 5,212 bottles. Long and racy. Bitter orange oils and raspberry-leaf tea, more than a little minty but with the cool-hit lift and bite of wasabi powder, fine-ground chalk and river pebbles, cumin powder, white pepper. Enormously complex but clenched as tight as a fist. White raspberries, grapefruit, redcurrants. Precision, finger-nail-pressed origami folds, so sharp the fruit has paper cuts. Exciting. Exacting. Tense yet creamy. Spice defines the finish and brings it to a close that feels like an unfinished poem. So you take another sip.

Immerse yourself in the elegance of Pierre Peters Les Chetillons Reserve Familiale 2008. Born in the grand cru vineyards of the Les Chétillons region in Champagne, France, this wine is a testament to the unsurpassed quality and expertise of Pierre Peters, a renowned winemaker for centuries. Made using 100% Chardonnay grapes, the wine undergoes extended ageing on lees to develop its distinct depth.

The result is a wine imbued with finesse — a harmonious blend of crisp acidity, layered minerality, and a hint of creaminess. It has a luminous pale gold hue, complemented by sumptuous notes of ripe apple, pear, almond and brioche. On the palate, it reveals an opulence with a persistent finish, undoubtedly reflecting the exceptional vintage of 2008. A rare jewel from Pierre Peters, the Les Chetillons Reserve Familiale 2008 is an exquisite addition to any discerning wine collection.

Wine Enthusiast (100)

One of the great Champagnes both for its richness and its longevity, this latest incarnation is superb. The wine's richness is linked to the ripe fruit and the dominance of Pinot Noir in the blend. It also shines in the perfect balance between the texture, the minerality and the integration of the fruit. It can be enjoyed now, but it will be better from 2020 and then for many years to come.

Wine Advocate (96)

This was a superb showing for the 2007 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Cuvée Vieilles Vignes, a brilliant wine that bursts from the glass with a complex and maturing bouquet of red cherries, caramelized orange rind, cinnamon, potpourri and sweet soil tones. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, textural and satiny, with a concentrated, layered core, tangy acids and a stunningly long, sapid finish. This has always been a brilliant wine that transcends the vintage, but new dimensions are becoming apparent as it enters its second decade. This was the last vintage bottled under natural cork chez Ponsot.

James Suckling (95)

Wow. Minerals, cedar, almost like warm stones in the heat. And then some spice. A wine that's gorgeous, beautiful to taste now, but you know there's so much more coming to it. Will be better in three to five years. But it's already gorgeous - decant a couple hours in advance.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

Unquestionably one of the gems in the vintage is the 2008 Pontet-Canet, which reminds me of the 2005 with its concentrated, deep, powerful style. Beautiful dark fruits, graphite, obvious minerality, and classic Pauillac lead pencil notes all emerge from this still youthful, full-bodied, and pure 2008 that’s 4-5 years away from maturity and will keep for 30+ years. Hats off to Alfred Tesseron for another awesome wine that ranks up with the crème de la crème of the vintage.

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

Unquestionably one of the gems in the vintage is the 2008 Pontet-Canet, which reminds me of the 2005 with its concentrated, deep, powerful style. Beautiful dark fruits, graphite, obvious minerality, and classic Pauillac lead pencil notes all emerge from this still youthful, full-bodied, and pure 2008 that’s 4-5 years away from maturity and will keep for 30+ years. Hats off to Alfred Tesseron for another awesome wine that ranks up with the crème de la crème of the vintage.

IWSC (97)

An expressive buttered brioche nose, gun smoke reduction, red fruit and toasted almond and pistachio notes. This very precise and elegant Champagne has a piercing acidity that underscores the long finish of lime zest, quince and apple.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

The 2008 Champagne Rare Rosé is straight-up sensational. Only the second time they’ve produced this cuvée, it offers a deep, full-bodied, powerful yet chiseled and laser-focused style carrying loads of wild strawberry fruit as well as notes of orange blossom, spice, and crushed rocks. Backward, austere, yet simply loaded with potential, it needs a solid 4-5 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly for two decades or more.

Each case contains 1 bottle each of:

1. Mezes Maly Great First Growth 6 Puttonyos 2008 | 18.5/20 points Jancis Robinson MW
2. Szt Tamas First Growth 6 Puttonyos 2008 | 19/20 points Jancis Robinson MW
3. Nyulaszo First Growth 6 Puttonyos 2008 | 18.5/20 points Jancis Robinson MW
4. Betsek First Growth 6 Puttonyos 2008 | 18/20 points Jancis Robinson MW
5. Birsalmas Second Growth Aszu 6 Puttonyos 2008 | 18.5/20 points Jancis Robinson MW
6. Gold Label 6 Puttonyos 2008 | 17/20 points Jancis Robinson MW

Wine Enthusiast (99)

This legendary Champagne, only produced in exceptional years, comes from the village of Le Mesnil in the Côte des Blancs. It is made from 100% Chardonnay and aged for many years before release. Its minerality, concentration and beautiful fruit are still astonishingly young and deserve further aging. Drink from 2020.