Wine Spectator: This is dense and muscular, but balanced, with the flesh to offset the sinew, as pure mulled black currant, melted fig and crushed plum fruit is caressed by substantial but fi...

Wine Spectator: This is rounded and pure, with red and black currant, black tea, roasted apple wood and sanguine notes all gliding through the supple, focused finish. Not big, but has balance...

Wine Spectator: Quite toasty, with lots of coffee and warm cocoa notes, followed by mulled fig, plum and black currant fruit and a healthy dose of maduro tobacco on the broad, fleshy finish. ...

Wine Spectator: Fleshy, but pure and elegant, with a gorgeous beam of raspberry ganache, plum sauce and cherry preserve laced with subtle graphite, spice and violet hints. The long finish is ...

Wine Enthusiast: With it cellars in a back street of Pauillac, this wine is often overlooked. But with the same winemaking team as Lafite, it represents a serious wine, solid, chunky, containi...

Wine Spectator: A tangy style, with lots of grilled herb, dried bay leaf and damson plum notes laced with extra roasted cedar and mesquite on the finish. Opens slowly, very slowly, to show mo...

Wine Spectator: This has a slightly brawny edge, but feels like it's filling out quickly, with lush, dark fig sauce, black licorice snap and graphite notes taking on more depth as it airs in ...

Wine Spectator: Very pretty spicy aromas, with currant and blackberry. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a delicate velvety texture. Balanced and easy, with a medium finish. 80 percent Cab...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Clos Manou, a well-run estate in the northern Medoc, has fashioned a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol...

Wine Enthusiast: Dark, dusty, hugely structured, Haut-Brion is a complex, serious wine with grandeur. The wine has considerable weight, its tannins striated through the black plum and damson s...

Wine Spectator: Tangy and lightly firm, with cherry pit, pomegranate and blackberry notes, followed by sage and tobacco. There's nice focus, with a tarry hint for added length on the finish. ...

Wine Enthusiast: The wine has some weight and an attractive meat and smoke character to go with the black berry fruits. Well balanced, shot through with acidity. R.V.

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: (69% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot and 3% cabernet franc) Medium-deep red. Inviting, deep aromas of blackcurrant and ripe plum, with a hint of licorice. Very appealing sweet ...

Jancis Robinson: Dark purple. Aromatic. Sweet start, rather flattering. Mouthfilling with a hint of spearmint. Fresh and rather appealing.

Wine Spectator: Racy blackberry and graphite notes are framed by light toast and mineral in this vibrant, expressive red. The ripe tannins are well-integrated and give backbone to the plush t...

Wine Spectator: Quite juicy, with a mouthwatering edge to the damson plum, mulled cherry and red currant fruit. Modest acidity, fine-grained tannins and flashy spice and iron notes drive the ...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2008 La Confession is a sleeper of the vintage. Super successful, this spicy wine exhibits some toasty oak and loads of licorice, espresso roast, blackberry and cassis. A ...

Wine Spectator: A plump, fleshy style, with loganberry, blueberry and plum fruit kissed by sweet spice and judicious toast notes on the medium-weight finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink ...

Wine Spectator: This bold red delivers big, ripe flavors of blackberry and boysenberry, with licorice, tobacco and dark chocolate notes. The tannins are muscular and chewy, but give way to fl...

Wine Spectator: Ripe, juicy and flattering, with delicious linzer torte, boysenberry and blackberry compote aromas and flavors, supported by solid grip and nice lingering anise and espresso o...