This wine shows wonderfully exotic tapenade, licorice, Christmas fruitcake, cedar wood, blackberry and sweet cherry notes in its strikingly provocative aromatics. On the palate, the wine is dense and full-bodied, with stunning concentration, purity, texture and length. It is full-bodied, silky smooth and seems to have more in common with the 2009 than one might expect, although the freshness and tannin levels are slightly more elevated. Drink it over the next 20+ years. 

An absolutely spectacular success once again from proprietor Stephan von Niepperg. Gilles Pauquet is the consultant and has done an exemplary job with this particular estate.

A sensational sleeper of the vintage, this modern-styled St.-Emilion boasts a dark purple color along with a beautiful bouquet of black olives, cherry jam, incense, spicy oak and black currants. Full-bodied, unctuously textured, lush, seductive and gloriously perfumed, this strikingly intense claret can be drunk now and over the next 12-15 years. Bravo!

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194)

An intriguing blend of nearly 50% Merlot, a whopping 35% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon (a somewhat unusual combination for this region), the 2009 reminds me of the 1990. A big, inky/purple-tinged wine with just over 14% natural alcohol, it exhibits exotic, flamboyant aromas of espresso roast, incense, sweet black cherries, black currants, licorice, asphalt, barbecue smoke, Christmas fruitcake and herbs. Full-bodied with silky tannins, luscious fruit, a hedonistic yet complex personality, low acidity, noticeable tannin and enviable purity, this head-turning beauty can be enjoyed over the next 15-20 years.

This has been one of my favorite St.-Emilions since the late 1980s, when proprietor Stefan Neipperg began to resurrect this once moribund estate that made so many mediocre wines in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s (the 1982 was shameful). It is one of hundreds of examples of properties that have been returned to life, providing Bordeaux with greater quality, diversity and recognition than it has ever had in its long history.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (199)

This very strong effort achieved 14.5% natural alcohol in this vintage, and is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. This wine is looked after by Stephane Derenoncourt, who has turned out a beautifully elegant, dark plum/purple-colored 2008 with notes of black cherries, blackberries, damp earth, truffle, and a hint of spicy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, with sweet tannin and a long, rich finish, this impressively endowed wine should hit its peak in 4-5 years and last for two decades or more.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194)

An intriguing blend of nearly 50% Merlot, a whopping 35% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon (a somewhat unusual combination for this region), the 2009 reminds me of the 1990. A big, inky/purple-tinged wine with just over 14% natural alcohol, it exhibits exotic, flamboyant aromas of espresso roast, incense, sweet black cherries, black currants, licorice, asphalt, barbecue smoke, Christmas fruitcake and herbs. Full-bodied with silky tannins, luscious fruit, a hedonistic yet complex personality, low acidity, noticeable tannin and enviable purity, this head-turning beauty can be enjoyed over the next 15-20 years.

This has been one of my favorite St.-Emilions since the late 1980s, when proprietor Stefan Neipperg began to resurrect this once moribund estate that made so many mediocre wines in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s (the 1982 was shameful). It is one of hundreds of examples of properties that have been returned to life, providing Bordeaux with greater quality, diversity and recognition than it has ever had in its long history.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (199)

One of the oldest family-owned vineyards in St.-Emilion, La Gaffeliere has been owned by the same family since the 1400s. The 2012 performed slightly differently in multiple tastings, but overall, it appears to be an outstanding, elegant, restrained, somewhat austere, but impressively built wine. The final blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc produced nearly 5,000 cases from their 42+ acre vineyard. The wine exhibits lots of earthy, balsam, resiny notes interwoven with red and black currants, cedar and underbrush. This elegant, dense, medium to full-bodied St.-Emilion should drink nicely for 15-20 years.

Lots of sweet Christmas fruitcake notes intermixed with black cherry, black currant, licorice and incense jump from the glass of this dense purple-colored wine. Medium to full-bodied with surprisingly soft, round tannins and a beautiful mid-palate, the 2012 does not deviate much from the estate’s elegant, racy style. This beauty can be drunk early or aged for 15 or more years.

This is an impressive offering from proprietor Count Leo Malet De Roquefort (whose family dates back to the 1400s). The 2012 La Gaffeliere achieved 14% natural alcohol, which, while relatively high for a 2012, is not up to the remarkable levels achieved in 2010 or 2009. The harvest occurred between October 4 and 16, and the final blend was 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (206)

This very strong effort achieved 14.5% natural alcohol in this vintage, and is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. This wine is looked after by Stephane Derenoncourt, who has turned out a beautifully elegant, dark plum/purple-colored 2008 with notes of black cherries, blackberries, damp earth, truffle, and a hint of spicy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, with sweet tannin and a long, rich finish, this impressively endowed wine should hit its peak in 4-5 years and last for two decades or more.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194)

The 2010's final blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc offers up impressive levels of red, blue and black fruits as well as some toasty oak and crushed rock, giving it minerality. Of course, the acidity in this vintage, with its lower pHs than 2009, provide a freshness and precision that is rare for wines so rich. This wine has plenty of tannin, so give it 4-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 25-30 years. 

This is a great wine from Comte Leo de Malet Roquefort’s estate, which has been owned by his family since the 1400s. Normally this estate tends to produce a relatively finesse-styled St.-Emilion, and the 2010 still leans in that direction, but it has more fat, muscle and sinew than in most vintages. The choice of Stephane Derenoncourt to manage the vineyard seems to have resulted in much lower yields, and ultimately a wine with much more richness and persistence on the palate.

This very strong effort achieved 14.5% natural alcohol in this vintage, and is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. This wine is looked after by Stephane Derenoncourt, who has turned out a beautifully elegant, dark plum/purple-colored 2008 with notes of black cherries, blackberries, damp earth, truffle, and a hint of spicy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, with sweet tannin and a long, rich finish, this impressively endowed wine should hit its peak in 4-5 years and last for two decades or more.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194)