About this Wine: ...The Backus vineyard, located across the valley from Harlan Estate, is now farmed biodynamically. The 1999 release was the last vintage entirely from vines planted in 1975; ...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: ($185; bottled with a screwcap) Good full ruby. Tangy red berries, spices, iron and mocha on the nose; a bit cooler than the 2004 bottling. Then juicy, spicy and tight; less l...

About this Wine: The grapes (Merlot 80%, Cabernet Franc 20%) are harvested by hand and are fermented in temperature-controlled concrete tanks. Le Tertre Rôteboeuf is then aged in 100% new oak ...

Wine Spectator: Intense aromas of blackberry, chocolate and spice. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and loads of fruit. Long. Spicy and chewy. This has guts. Structured. Best after 2010. 1,000 ...

Wine Spectator: One of the riper, more exotic wines of the vintage, this gushes with black currant, fig and blackberry fruit, all of which has melded together and is starting to show a corrup...

Wine Spectator: Spice rack of a wine, rather exotic. Concentrated aromas of tar, spices and currants. Full-bodied, with loads of velvety tannins and a long, ripe fruit aftertaste. Best after ...

About this Wine: " Lynch-Bages made primarily from Cabernet-Sauvignon, is famous for its fine bouquet and rich tannin, which becomes soft and delicious with age. Lynch-Bages is powerful with a...

Wine Spectator: Wonderful detail, richness and depth mark this Chardonnay, in which subtle scents of wildflower are pure and focused on ripe pear, citrus, tangerine and anise flavors, with su...

Wine Spectator: Dark, ripe, rich and focused, this California red offers tiers of currant, mineral, anise, sage and cedar, all folding neatly together and finishing with a chocolaty edge...

About this Wine: Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage champagnes, unlike most champagnes, are made from the grapes of a single exceptional year. Each Grand Vintage possesses the distinctive, imita...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: There are 1,000 cases of the exceptional, black/purple-colored 1997 Darmagi Cabernet Sauvignon (3-4% Cabernet Franc was added to the blend). With abundant quantities of smoky,...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Saturated ruby. Pungent, roasted aromas of black raspberry, currant and maple syrup; distinct suggestions of surmaturite. Superb sweetness and roasted ripeness in the mouth. T...

Wine Spectator: Solid notes of steeped black currant, ganache-coated fig and plum eau de vie pump along in this very dark red, but with well-integrated structure. Long and winey through the f...

Wine Spectator: This is rich and very plush, but really pure as well, with gorgeous macerated cherry, cassis and blackberry preserves flavors gliding along, carried by remarkably polished tan...

Wine Spectator: Doesn't give much on the nose, with subtle lemon, honey, tangerine and apricot. Full-bodied and very sweet, with a long finish. Thick and compacted, with loads of mango and sw...

Wine Spectator: Tightly knit, this is finely textured and expressive. Savory hints of fennel seed and cardamom accent dried apricot, bread dough, hazelnut, creamy espresso and grapefruit zest...

Wine Spectator: Ultraripe and rich, with jammy wild berry, blackcherry, currant and spicy nuances that are deepand concentrated, finishing with a long, detailedaftertaste. Wonderful sense of ...