2008 Wine

Wine Enthusiast, 100 points: One of the great Champagnes both for its richness and its longevity, this latest incarnation is superb. The wine's richness is linked to the ripe fruit and the dominance of Pinot Noir in the blend. It also shines in the...

Decanter, 98 points: This takes a heartbeat to kick in, and then the weight and impact of this wine slowly kicks in. Those Cabernets have lift and punch, and although it's not ethereal like the Ausone or even the Lafite, it has power...

Vinous, 94 points: Vega Sicilia’s 2008 Tinto Valbuena 5 Anos is compelling. A young, intense wine, the 2008 is going to need significant time to fully come together, but it boasts superb depth, persistence and a total sense of harmony...

jamessuckling.com, 93 points: Aromas of dried cherries and plums with hints of flowers follow through to a full body with velvety tannins and a juicy, meaty, fruity aftertaste. Turns to chocolate powder as well. Drink or hold.

Vinous, 99 points: As a group, the 2008 Champagnes are focused and tightly wound. The 2008 Cristal Rosé has plenty of those qualities, but what places it in a truly rarified category is its sheer depth and verticality. Vinous, powerful and...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: Mainly from Aÿ (with a bit of Mailly and Oger as well as Cramant) the 2008 Grand Cru Extra Brut 1522 blends 58% Pinot Noir with 42% Chardonnay and opens with a concentrated tropical fruit aroma (pineapples, stone fruits...

Vinous, 93 points: In 2008, Quintarelli did not bottle Amarone, but instead chose to declassify the juice into Rosso del Bepi. Fragrant and expressive, with a good deal of aromatic nuance, the Rosso is a terrific choice for readers who want...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: Since 2008 the old Brut de Brut, a Brut Nature Gran Reserva , has been renamed to reflect its origin. The 2008 Serral del Vell is named after the place (paraje) where the grapes are grown that make up the blend of 52%...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: Mainly from Aÿ (with a bit of Mailly and Oger as well as Cramant) the 2008 Grand Cru Extra Brut 1522 blends 58% Pinot Noir with 42% Chardonnay and opens with a concentrated tropical fruit aroma (pineapples, stone fruits...

jamessuckling.com, 94 points: Very fragrant chardonnay here, offering white flowers, sweet smelling honey, almond nougat, lemons and peaches. The palate is very crisp, very focused and long with brioche flavor and a finely layered texture. Some chalky...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: (WA 92 - 93 points) Exuberantly sweetly-fruited, the Billaud 2008 Chablis Vaudesir is redolent of and brims with purple plum, pineapple, quince and peach, hauntingly wreathed in gentian and violet perfume. Liquid perfume...

Burghound, 93 points: (BH90-93 points) This is also elegant, pure and broadly aromatic with hints of earth, underbrush and a touch of the sauvage adding nuance to the red currant and violet notes that introduce rich and rather serious...

Vinous, 91 points: Bright ruby. Sappy and tightly focused raspberry and cherry aromas are complemented by notes of cinnamon and allspice. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, which offers sexy red berry preserve and floral flavors, with a...

Vinous, 96 points: The 2008 Pichon-Longueville Baron has a refined and focused bouquet with classic blackberry, mint and graphite aromas that gather momentum with aeration. The palate is beautifully balanced with pure black fruit, a fine...

Vinous, 96 points: Medium orange-gold. High-toned, tangy aromas of orange, lime peel, fresh apricot, nuts and honey. The palate pairs great thickness with electric acidity, giving an almost painful quality to the very sweet apricot and...