2011 Red Wine from France

Wine Spectator, 93 points: Offers both guts and charm with a very solid core of plum cake fig and cassis laced with hints of ganache and roasted spice notes. There's a nice mouthfilling feel through the finish with more oomph and drive than most...

View From The Cellar, 96 points: Christian Moueix explained that 2011 was the first vintage where the harvesting was organized here to target old vines of a similar age to be picked together, as he went along with the harvesters pointing out which...

jamessuckling.com, 95 points: Wow. Wonderfully aromatic nose of currants, blackberries and lilacs. Full body but refined and beautiful. The quality of the tannins is exception. So fine. Lovely austerity and tension on the finish. Better in 2016.

jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: Also brilliant stuff, the 2011 IGP Vaucluse Heloise (70% Syrah, 20-25% Grenache and the rest Viognier) offers lots of blackberry fruits, peppery herbs and smoked earth aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, nicely...

Vinous, 92 points: Bright, moderately saturated red. Spicy aromas of blackberry, licorice and violet. Tight and serious in the mouth, with dark berry and violet pastille flavors accompanied by strong coffee/mocha torrefaction. At once...

Wine Spectator, 92 points: Full of bright, pure cherry fruit, this red is lush and open, with hints of spice and mint accenting the core flavors. Supple and harmonious, delivering a juicy, mouthwatering finish. Fine length. Best from 2016 through...

jebdunnuck.com, 95 points: Lastly, the 2011 Ventoux Abelard is, as always, more Provençal in style and always reminds me of a top Gigondas. Based largely on Grenache, it boasts rocking notes of blackberries, black cherries, licorice, and black...

Wine Enthusiast, 97 points: Big tannins and impressive fruits are the hallmarks of this impressive wine. It is also subtle, not showing all its flavors at once, hiding beneath tannins and structure. For this fruity vintage, it shows a strong sense...

jamessuckling.com, 88 points: I like the spicy, hazelnut and berry character here. It’s a little lean but shows pretty fruit and refined tannins. Needs one to two years of bottle age to soften: try in 2016.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: (91-92) Scents of creme de cassis, chocolate, and nutmeg entice from the glass of Liger-Belair’s 2011 Moulin-a-Vent La Roche, though the torrefactive aspect here is no doubt prompted in large part by the wine’s low-sulfur...

Wine Spectator, 96 points: Tightly wound with a good chalky vibrancy and taut red currant damson plum and bitter cherry notes that show ample length. Tasted non-blind.-J.M.

Wine Spectator, 90 points: (87-90) Rather graceful, with bing cherry and sandalwood notes and a lightly firm dash of toasted vanilla on the finish. This opens steadily with air, showing more toasted spice and black tea. Not big, but has a suave...