Wine Enthusiast: Barrel sample. Powerful, but smooth, with ripe milk chocolate and sweetness. Very velvet in texture, with just enough acidity. R.V.

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Deep, bright red. High-pitched aromas of strawberry, raspberry and Asian spices, complemented by a subtle smoky quality. Zesty and precise, with tangy red berry flavors show...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Bright cherry-red. Highly aromatic fruit bomb of a nose: cherry, raspberry and strawberry, with a faintly high-toned wild element. Then juicy more than fleshy in the mouth, of...

Wine Spectator: Rich, dry and full-bodied, with loamy earth, dried berry, mineral, anise and black licorice flavors that run deep and persistent, layered and concentrated, ending with a long,...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The top of the line 2007 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo San Calisto flows across the palate with layers of blue and black fruit. Mineral notes appear later, adding balance and propor...

John Sweeney: Dark ruby at the core with a bright ruby rim. On the nose, this is textbook Bordeaux-black raspberry, cassis, wet rock, cedar and a touch of toasty oak. The palate is medium...

Wine Spectator: Enticing aromas of raspberry and flowers introduce this supple, elegant red. As the raspberry and cherry flavors unfold, moderate tannins bolster the finish. Drink now through...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2011 La Dame Rousse Tavel Rose, which is 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and the rest equal parts Cinsault and the white grape Clairette. Full-bodied and substantial on the palate...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Deep ruby-red. Cherry-vanilla and raspberry on the smoky, oak-spiced nose. Juicy and seamless on the palate, offering bright red fruit flavors and complicating notes of moch...

Wine Spectator: Fresh red currant, raspberry and cherry notes are laced with violet and blood orange. Brighter and higher-toned than most of its 2009 Pessac peers. Drink now through 2018. -JM

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2010 Cotes du Ventoux Persia, a blend of 90% Syrah (from 50-year-old vines) and 10% Mourvedre from the estate-s finest terroir, is aged in small barrels and 600-liter demi...

Wine Spectator: A textbook version of the ripe, modern style, with a core of plum, linzer torte and black currant fruit backed by toasty spice and melted licorice note. A nice tug of roasted ...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: (15.8% alcohol) Saturated bright ruby. Aromas of boysenberry, dark chocolate, mocha and oak. Fat, silky and sweet but not heavy; this really fills the mouth. Less minerally th...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Good bright red-ruby. Sexy oak notes complement aromas of black raspberry and nuts. Lush, sweet and silky-rich, with noteworthy finesse to the cassis flavor. Finishes with env...

Wine Spectator: This elegant, fleshy Pinot delivers accents of dried lavender and spice to round out the plum and black cherry flavors that are fresh, lively and very persistent. Drink now th...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape has oodles of black raspberry and kirsch notes intermixed with roasted Provencal herbs, licorice, and spice box. Medium to full bodied, dense, and...

Neal Martin's Wine Journal: Tasted at the Syndicat de Pomerol. This has a very attractive bouquet with dark berried fruit, raspberry, cassis all with fine delineation and well integrated new oak. The pal...

Wine Enthusiast: Roasted, rubbery, savory aromas include lesser notes of graphite, licorice, toast and berrry fruit. The wine feels plump, round and full for a 2008, with grabby tannins and ...

Wine Spectator: This generous red offers ripe plum, espresso and smoke flavors that are firm and rather charry, with a tobacco and tar finish. Bold yet smooth. Best from 2013 through 2019.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: From the bottle, the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape has lived up to its pre-bottle form. Composed of 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah and the rest Mourvedre, Cinsault and other varietals, it...