Jancis Robinson: Leaf-mould nose that is most attractive. Racy and lively. Bone-dry finish. Needs to take on a bit more fat before it's seductive. But it is much fleshier than the 1993. Drink ...

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...

Wine Spectator: Creamy-textured, with hints of vanilla, anise, pear and melon that are intense, focused and concentrated. Still young and tight, showing great intensity and persistent flavors...

Wine Spectator: Web Only 2009 - Weaves together a complex web of mature pear, fig and golden raisin, with mineral and hints of smoke and anise. Elegant, stylish, mature and focused. Medium- t...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Good deep red. Deeply pitched, slightly reduced nose dominated by smoky minerality, musky soil tones, game bird, gunflint and dried rose. Thick, sweet and very intense, offe...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: I had inserted this wine in a blind tasting. I did not know where it would appear, but I knew it would be in the tasting, and...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Daphne and Bart Araujo have fulfilled all the expectations of Eisele Vineyard Cabernet fans. They have taken one of the greatest Cabernet vineyards of Napa Valley and, with t...

Wine Spectator: This wine builds intensity and depth, with a youthful, vibrant core of black cherry, currant and wild berry. Deftly balanced, with firm tannins and fine structure, the finish ...

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; ...

Wine Spectator: Firm, chewy, nicely packed with bright berry and currant flavors that last through the spicy finish. Has a nice sense of spreading on the finish.--1982 Bordeaux horizontal. (H...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Good youthful deep red. Perfumed, multifaceted aromas of crystallized black cherry, cassis, gibier and smoke. Fruity and precise in the mouth, with amazingly youthful dark ber...

Wine Spectator: Smoky, toasty flavors and firm tannins almost mask the pretty berry tones that emerge gradually in the glass, growing polished and almost plush. Needs some time to see if the ...

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: Combines the richness and power of youth with the subtleties of age. Big, ripe and expressive, with tiers of ripe currant, black cherry, plum and mocha, showing a touch of ced...

Wine Spectator: Big and ripe. Dark ruby-garnet color. Very ripe berry, chocolate and plum aromas. Full-bodied and chewy, with lots of tannins and a very ripe fruit finish. Tight, muscular and...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Medium red. Reticent but pure aromas of crushed stone, flowers and tobacco. Fat, silky, pliant and broad; not quite as gripping as the Echezeaux but plush and suave. Here the ...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The dense purple-colored 2011 Crozes-Hermitage Les Varonnieres offers notes of black olives, tapenade, gun flint, smoky barbecue, charcuterie and red meats. Full-bodied, soft ...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Very ripe pineapple fruit aroma lifted by powdered stone, minerals and an exhilarating violet nuance. Big, rich and fat with exotic peachy fruit. Shows a softer texture and le...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Tasted in components: #1, Petite Cote: fresh red berries and flowers, with intense spiciness. Very bright and lively, with racy cherry and raspberry flavors and strong fini...

Burghound: Wonderfully spicy black fruits with a strong hint of fennel to the medium weight, impressively well focused and rich flavors. While not a blockbuster, this too is chiseled and...