Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: As I reported last year, the black/purple-tinged 2009 Cote Rotie La Landonne is an extraordinary effort. Made in a more open-knit, exuberant, flamboyant style, it possesses ma...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Glass-staining purple. A wild, exotically perfumed bouquet evokes black and blue fruit liqueur, potpourri and sandalwood, with notes of olive and smoked meat emerging with ai...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Glass-staining purple. A wild, exotically perfumed bouquet evokes black and blue fruit liqueur, potpourri and sandalwood, with notes of olive and smoked meat emerging with ai...

About this Wine: "This estate's most renowned offering is their old vine Shiraz (90+ year old vines) called The Dead Arm. The unfined/unfiltered 1999 The Dead Arm Shiraz (2,000 cases) was aged...

Wine Spectator: Still tight, with blanched almond and pear skin notes holding the core of green fig, white peach and salted butter at bay for now. The long finish, featuring mineral and flora...

About this Wine: "With twenty vintages under his belt, Michel Chapoutier and his impressive winemaking staff go from strength to strength. These are among the world's greatest wines, especia...

About this Wine: "...These five-year old vines include clones from Hyde, Hudson Mt. Eden and Calera... crop levels in both of these vineyards were just over one ton per acre in 2003..."

About this Wine: "One of the great estates of the Rhone Valley, Chateau Beaucastel has been run by several generations of the Perrin family, beginning with the late Jacques Perrin (who died ...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: (70% mourvedre and 10% each of grenache, counoise and syrah, all raised in foudre): Glass-staining purple. Hypnotic bouquet of black and blue fruits, potpourri and exotic sp...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: (70% mourvedre and 10% each of grenache, counoise and syrah, all raised in foudre): Glass-staining purple. Hypnotic bouquet of black and blue fruits, potpourri and exotic sp...

About this Wine: As I have written many times, all of these wines are produced from rigidly cultivated, bio-dynamically managed vineyards. That has been the rule since Michel Chapoutier fi...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: This limited production cuvee (produced only in the greatest vintages) is spectacular. The 1997 (100% Semillon) contains 20% residual sugar, and a well-hidden 14.5% alcohol. ...

Wine Spectator: Impressive for its richness, depth and concentration, this is a tightly wound, well-focused Cabernet that exhibits a wonderful pure core of currant, black cherry and blackberr...

About this Wine: "Charming, forward and approachable despite its youth. Ripe berries, mocha, toasted malt, incense and jasmine on the nose and palate. The sweet, high-toned nose is followed by...

About this Wine: "Planted in the early 1930's, the vineyard is about 70 years old. This vineyard is planted with the old clones of Syrah (low yielding) on their own roots, dry grown and yields...

About this Wine: This cuvee is called Combe des Fous (Hill of Fools).  This cuvee is from a specific parcel on Crau that long ago was considered too difficult to work, but the Maurels' gr...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: (racked three days before my visit) Full ruby-red. Knockout nose melds black cherry, violet, licorice and brown spices; this is wild yet aristocratic in a Chambertin way. Dens...

Wine Spectator: A modern, toasty style, but sleek, with the vanilla bean and espresso notes melding nicely into the core of steeped plum and blackberry fruit. The long finish lets the espress...

Wine Spectator: This is gorgeously layered with cassis bush, anise, roasted fig and plum reduction notes all framed by racy espresso and graphite. Very deep and very long, with terrific inten...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Full red-ruby color. Knockout, superripe nose combines raspberry, blueberry, mocha and underbrush. Wonderfully sweet, fat and fine-grained; conveys the impression of volume wi...