2008 Wine from France

Wine Spectator, 97 points: Like a stallion out of the gate, this shows an initial explosion of power, in the form of mouthwatering flavors and fine texture, before quickly settling into an elegant gait. The racy acidity is seamlessly knit, buoying...

Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: While still young, this Champagne has all the makings of greatness. Produced from grand cru vineyards, it already balances ripe white fruits with a firm structure that will age well. It's relatively dry and has plenty of...

jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: Unquestionably one of the gems in the vintage is the 2008 Pontet-Canet, which reminds me of the 2005 with its concentrated, deep, powerful style. Beautiful dark fruits, graphite, obvious minerality, and classic Pauillac...

jebdunnuck.com, 98 points: (98+ points) The 2008 Champagne Rare Rosé is straight-up sensational. Only the second time they’ve produced this cuvée, it offers a deep, full-bodied, powerful yet chiseled and laser-focused style carrying loads of wild...

jamessuckling.com, 93 points: Here is 2008 with a velvety texture yet the underlying bright acidity comes through at the same time. Medium to full body, firm and chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Very pretty and energetic. Just opening now.

Vinous, 95 points: The 2008 Extra Brut N.P.U. Nec Plus Ultra is a brilliant, taut Champagne. The combination of vintage and the extra brut style favored a Paillard that yields a young Champagne that is quite austere. It will be interesting...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: Disgorged in June 2017 with a dosage of six grams per liter, the 2008 Brut Premier Cru Vintage is an assemblage of 50% Grand Cru Chardonnay fermented in cuves and 50% Premier Cru Pinot Noir from Aÿ fermented in 205-liter...

Vinous, 97 points: Super-ripe black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice make a strong opening statement in the 2008 Pichon Lalande. The late harvest that year yielded a decidedly super-ripe, exotic Pichon Lalande with captivating inner sweetness...

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, 93 points: Tasted ex-château and single blind in Southwold. With yet another strong performance under blind conditions the Lagrange 2008 continues as one of the most consistent performers in this consistent commune. It has a...

Decanter, 97 points: This stood out immediately among the five first growth wines for its floral hit right off the first nose. The epitome of elegance, as I found at the 10-year point, but it is now also starting to deepen and layer, with...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: A candidate for the -wine of the vintage- the 2008 Haut-Bailly possesses incredible complexity. Tell-tale notes of lead pencil shavings charcoal damp earth black cherries and black currants intermixed with a hint of...

Decanter, 94 points: Decanter World Wine Awards 2020. Melon, peach and toast bouquet. Superbly fresh palate with an elegant texture, mouthwatering acidity and confit lemon, dark chocolate and bitter orange flavours.

TheWineCellarInsider.com, 97 points: There is a lightening in the color, giving a slight bricking effect. The wine is as concentrated as it is tannic. This is still youthful, fresh and holding on to most of what it has to offer. There is definite power here...

TheWineCellarInsider.com, 95 points: Young, full bodied, rich and intense, the wine is loaded with dark fruit, which you can easily see in its color. There is intensity, earthyness, smoke, licorice, espresso and black cherry from start to finish. The wine is...

jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: The 2008 Lynch Bages is brilliant stuff as well as a textbook Pauillac. Revealing a still youthful ruby/purple color as well as impressive notes of graphite, cedar pencil, cassis, tobacco, and obvious minerality, it hits...

jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: Unquestionably one of the gems in the vintage is the 2008 Pontet-Canet, which reminds me of the 2005 with its concentrated, deep, powerful style. Beautiful dark fruits, graphite, obvious minerality, and classic Pauillac...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points: A candidate for the -wine of the vintage- the 2008 should have been purchased before it began to soar in value because of the significance of the number 8 in the Chinese culture (denoting good luck). Representing 40% of...

jebdunnuck.com, 95 points: Still vibrant color, the 2008 Château Larcis Ducasse offers a beautiful bouquet of blackcurrants, leafy herbs, damp earth, and hints of forest floor. This thrilling 2008 is ripe, full-bodied, has terrific purity of fruit...

jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: Based on 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc raised all in new oak, the brilliant 2008 Bellevue Mondotte is one of the more powerful, opulent, pleasure-bent wines in the vintage. Offering up a rock star bouquet of...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: Tasted with Baptiste Guinaudeau, the 2008 Lafleur is a wine for which I have a lot of time, and as it approaches a decade old, it is beginning to loosen up a little. There is plenty of fruit on the nose—more than I have...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: Good acids along with hints of earth, buttered citrus and exotic melons are found in this cuvee. - Robert Parker

Wine Spectator, 92 points: Still tight, with the core of cherry and red currant fruit held in check by a mix of lightly firm sandalwood, spice, licorice root and warm stone flavors. Mulled fig and cocoa notes check in on the grippy finish. A rare...

View From The Cellar, 94 points: 94+ The 2008 Latricières-Chambertin from Domaine Rossignol-Trapet is not quite as open as the lovely 2011, but it is getting closer to its primetime window of drinkability and will end up being a step up from the lovely...

jebdunnuck.com, 95 points: A beautiful wine that shines in the vintage, the 2008 Figeac offers a classic Figeac nose of tobacco, menthol, blackcurrants, and spice. This deep, rich, seamless 2008 has a great mid-palate, no hard edges, beautiful...

Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: <strong> # 12 on Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2011</strong>; A dense beautifully structured wine. It shows intense ripe fruit with balanced acidity. It's the fine tannins that give it such...

jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: The 2008 Mouton Rothschild checks in as a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot brought up in mostly new barrels. Undeniably one of the top wines in the vintage, it offers a rare opulence and sexiness in its...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: Tasted from the same lot as in June this year, the 2008 Cuvée des Moines Brut Millésime is very fine on the deep, ripe and elegant nose where the 31% Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier play the first guitar at the moment. This...

Wine Enthusiast, 93 points: Treated now as a separate wine, rather than a second wine, with its own vineyard, Clos du Marquis has developed a dense, concentrated style. It is firm, chewy, the tannins in suspension in the rich fruit. Good aging...