Wine Vault: Random Notes, Spring 1997

The Wine List:

1988 Dom Perignon

1985 Meursault "Rougeouts"- Coche-Dury

1979 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet- Ramonet

1989 Batard-Montrachet- Louis Latour

1990 Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc- Drouhin

1990 Chassagne-Montrachet "Vergers"- Ramonet

1990 Meursault "Clos de la Barre"- Lafon

1992 Chassagne-Montrachet "Virendots"- Marc Morey

1992 Meursault "Perrieres"- Pierre Morey

1992 Meursault "Perrieres"- Comtes Lafon

1993 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet- Ramonet

1994 Domaine Valette Pouilly Fuisse Clos Reyssie Reserve Particulaire

1928 Corton "Bressandes"- Labaume Aine

1959 Chambertin- Pierre Damoy

1966 Corton Dr. Peste- Hospices de Beaune

1966 Latricieres-Chambertin- Faiveley

1969 Chambertin Clos de Beze- Rousseau

1980 Vosne-Romanee "Cros Parantoux"- Henri Jayer

1980 Echezeaux- Henri Jayer

1985 Nuits St. Georges "Clos de la Marechale"- Faiveley

1985 Latricieres-Chambertin- Trapet

1985 Clos des Lambrays

1986 Richebourg- DRC

1987 Clos St. Denis- Dujac

1987 Charmes-Chambertin- Dujac

1987 Richebourg- Meo-Camuzet

1987 Chambertin- Rousseau

1987 Romanee St.-Vivant- DRC

1987 Echezeaux- Henri Jayer

1988 Gevrey-Chambertin "Combottes"- Truchot-Martin

1988 Charmes-Chambertin- Bernard Dugat

1989 Vosne-Romanee "Petits Monts"- Drouhin

1989 Clos Vougeot- Meo-Camuzet

1989 Bonnes-Mares- Roumier

1990 Beaune Clos des Ursules- Jadot

1990 Corton Pougets- Jadot

1990 Chambertin Clos de Beze- Jadot

1990 Volnay Caillerets Soixante Ouvrees- Pousse D'Or

1990 Clos St. Denis- Arlaud

1990 Charmes-Chambertin- Geantet-Pansiot

1990 Chambolle-Musigny "Les Charmes"- Ponsot

1990 Latricieres-Chambertin- Ponsot

1990 Griottes-Chambertin- Ponsot

1990 Clos de la Roche VV- Ponsot

1990 Vosne-Romanee "Cros Parantoux"- Rouget

1991 Vosne-Romanee "Petits Monts"- Drouhin

1991 Corton "Bressandes"- Tollot-Beaut

1959 Lynch Bages

1964 Chateau Haut Brion

1966 Chateau Giscours

1966 Chateau Figeac

1980 Chateau Margaux

1985 Chateau La Conseillante

1985 Chateau L'Evangile

1985 Chateau Lafite Rothschild

1986 Chateau Pape Clement

1989 Chateau Gloria

1971 Chateau de Fargues

1971 Chateau Climens

1981 Chateau D'Y'Quem (375 ml)

1966 Cote-Rotie- Vidal-Fleury

1980 La Mouline- Guigal

1983 Chave Hermitage

1984 Cote Rotie "La Landonne"- Guigal

1987 Cote-Rotie "La Turque"- Guigal

1990 Cuvee Centennaire- Les Cailloux

1991 Chave Hermitage

1994 Cote-Rotie "La Vialierre"- Rene Rostaing

1995 Chave St. Joseph "Offerus"

1995 Chave St. Joseph

1995 Bianco di Custoza- Le Vigne di San Pietro

1995 Lugana- Otella

1967 Barolo Monfortino- Giacomo Conterno

1985 Barolo Vigna Collonello- Aldo Conterno

1988 Sassiccaia

1988 Ornellaia

1990 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva- Pertimali

1973 Penfolds Grange Hermitage

1975 Penfolds Grange Hermitage

1982 Penfold's Grange Hermitage

1992 Elderton Command Reserve Shiraz

1994 Henschke Mount Edelstone

1995 Clarendon Hills "Clarendon Vineyard" Grenache Old Vines

1995 Clarendon Hills "Blewitt Vineyard" Grenache Old Vines

1990 Kalin Cellars Chardonnay Cuvee W

1995 Marcassin "Hudson" Chardonnay

1974 Mayacaymus Cabernet Sauvignon

1977 Ridge Monte Bello

1994 Colgin-Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon

1992 Beaux Freres

1995 Williams-Selyem Olivet Lane Pinot Noir

1970 Vega Sicilia Unico

1989 Chateau Musar

1988 Dom Perignon

Destined to live in the shadows of the monumental efforts of DP in 1985 and 1990, the 1988 Dom Perignon is no slacker! The nose is quite marked by chardonnay, with scents of apple, a touch of pear, white chocolate, yeasty tones, charred wood, fresh rosemary, plenty of minerals, and a floral topnote. Deep, full and more accessible than the 1985 at this stage, with a great core of fruit, laser-like focus, and a long, complex, snappy finish. Still fairly young, the 1988 should hit its peak in another three or four years, and drink brilliantly for a decade or more. It has developed a lovely note of maturing chardonnay over the last nine months. Once again, a stellar Dom Perignon for (mid-term) cellaring. Who is hotter in the 1980s, Krug or Dom? 2000-2015. 95.

1979 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet- Ramonet

This wine can be absolutely stellar, but the last couple of examples I have had have been in decline. One bottle was so past its prime that it was virtually undrinkable. This particular bottle was still palatable, but a wine to be drunk up soon. The nose showed plenty of maturity and more than just a whiff of oxidation. Scents of honey, apple cider, peppermint, minerals, bacon fat, floral tones, and vanillin oak wafted from the glass. Full-bodied and still reasonably crisp on the palate, with decent concentration and length, and just enough acidity to give the wine some freshness on the finish. Pristine bottles of this wine are superb thoroughbreds (I have had five or six over the last couple of years), but this particular bottle has seen its best days. Drink up. 87-93(for pristine bottles).

1985 Meursault "Rougeouts"- Coche-Dury

Unmistakably a great vintage for Coche, this wine firmly demonstrates how far above the chardonnay competition Coche-Dury's winemaking resides. The nose is a stunning example of perfectly mature Meursault: ripe apples, tangerine, hazelnuts, buttered wheat toast, Honey, loads of minerals, spring flowers, and a deft touch of vanillin oak. Full-bodied, deep, perfectly-focused and incredibly long on the palate, with plenty of juicy acidity to give the wine succulence and cut, a rock solid core of fruit, and a long, multi-dimensional finish. This is a bottle of Coche that is at its magical apogee, but with at least a few years of highlights left before it begins its gradual decline. In a vintage such as 1985, where so many top Premier Crus and Grand Crus have already begun their decline, this village wine is an amazing accomplishment. 1997-2004. 95.

1989 Batard-Montrachet- Louis Latour

I am on record in numerous places as being down on the 1989 white Burgundies. For me, the excesses of the vintage have produced a preponderance of over the top, heavy-handed, dull wines that reek of tropical fruit and excessive heat. There are a handful of stunning successes in the vintage, but in general, this is a vintage I avoid. So naturally, my friends love to blind me with 1989s! I had previously had a couple of Latour's '89 Grand Crus (a stellar Corton-Charlemagne, and a Chevalier "Les Demoiselles" that paled next to Jadot's version), but never the Batard-Montrachet. It is an unqualified success for the vintage, and a delicious bottle of wine. The nose is classic, a point white Burg: buttered apples, lemon, toasty nuances, grilled nuts, minerals, a floral topnote and buttery new oak. Deep, full and complex on the palate, with fine balance, a great core of fruit, and a long, snappy finish that shows not a trace of the vintage's heat. A lovely wine at its peak. 1997-2003. 92.

1990 Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc- Drouhin

One of Drouhin's most serious whites, this wine behaved brilliantly at a recent tasting. Served double-blind, most of us thought this wine was made by Coche-Dury! The palate displayed a gorgeous combination of dramatic concentration and snappy acidity. The nose is stunning: scents of honeyed lemons, apples, herbal notes, minerals, butter, spring flowers, nuts, and vanillin oak soar from the glass. On the palate, the wine is very deep and viscous, with a fine girdle of acid, flawless focus, and a long, complex, expansive finish. For those mistaken individuals who believe that 1990 white Burgundy lacks depth and power, taste this! One of the finest Clos des Mouches Blancs that I have ever tasted, and a star Premier Cru of the vintage. It should even be a bit better in another eighteen months. Serious juice. 1997-2004. 93.

1990 Chassagne-Montrachet "Vergers"- Ramonet

Out of the blocks, Ramonet's 1990s out of bottle were most characterized by extraordinarily high acidity (a bit of a sloppy tartaric booster?), which tended to mask the depth of fruit of each cru. However, out of barrel, the wines were superb, medium-full with great depth and intensity, beautiful focus and length. Thoroughbreds with plenty of nervosite for extended cellaring. The Vergers was the most forward Premier Cru out of barrel, but was as lean and buttoned-up behind a wall of acid as any other when first tasted from bottle. However, while still not ready for primetime drinking, the acids are now beginning to peel back and reveal a stunning bottle of wine. The nose is classic Ramonet, with hints of fresh peppermint, pear, golden delicious apple, lime, minerals, butter and squeaky clean vanillin oak. Fullish and packed with fruit on the palate, with great extract, lovely focus, zesty acidity, and a long, complex finish. It should start to hit its apogee in another two to three years, and drink beautifully for a decade. A lovely wine that has rewarded those of us who did not lose faith. 1999-2010. 92.

1990 Meursault "Clos de la Barre"- Comtes Lafon

A fine showing for this wine, but it seems to be approaching its apogee. The nose is beautifully developed, with scents of buttered apples, wheat toast, hazelnuts, minerals, and vanillin oak. Medium-bodied on the palate, with fine delineation and focus, but missing just a touch "oomph" on the mid-palate. Plenty of zesty acidity continues to give this wine great cut and focus, making it a very stylish middleweight for drinking over the next couple of years. 1997-2000.91.

1992 Chassagne-Montrachet "Virendots"- Marc Morey

The premier cru of Virendots is located in the same swath of vineyards that include Ruchottes, Caillerets, and La Romanee- in short, the gold coast of Chassagne's premier crus. Domaine Marc Morey owns the lion's share of this vineyard, and the wine produced here bears more than a passing resemblance to the wines of Ramonet. Caught at its apogee, this wine delivers a fabulous, mineral-infused nose of ripe pears, buttered apples, a hint of mint, loads of minerals, spring flowers , and vanillin oak. Full-bodied and racy on the palate, with a juicy core of fruit, great delineation, very snappy acidity for the vintage, and a long, zesty, complex finish. If this were a Ramonet wine, I would rank it just behind the Ruchottes and Caillerets, but ahead of the Vergers, Boudriottes or Morgeots. A wonderful bottle of premier cru. 1997-2003. 92.

1992 Meursault "Perrieres"- Pierre Morey

I have had a number of bottles of this wine and always found it to be a quite good example of the vintage and the terroir. For whatever reason, this particular bottle did not show well. It was certainly not corked or stored poorly, and yet the wine showed very "off" aromatics and flavor components that reminded me most of a box of geraniums! Along with the less than complementary floral notes, the wine offered up scents of honeyed apples, hazelnuts, minerals, pain grille, and buttery oak. Full-bodied and still quite crisp in the mouth, with a juicy core of fruit, good balance, but annoying notes of geranium on the palate as well. Hopefully this wine is not sprouting a garden, and the underlying attractive components of the wine are to be found unaccompanied by the geraniums in other bottles! I will retaste this wine soon. ?

1992 Meursault "Perrieres"- Comtes Lafon

In contrast to the Morey Virendots served before it, the '92 Perrieres from Lafon had not yet reached its plateau of maturity. The color is deeper gold than the Virendots, with a deep-pitched bouquet of buttery apples, apricot, hazelnuts, complex leesy tones, minerals and a big coating of buttery new oak. Deep, rich and just packed with fruit on the palate, with much more extract than the Virendots, good acids, and a long, powerful finish. This adolescent wine is still quite ungainly on the palate, with the complete integration of its components still a year or two away. As the wine sat in the glass and decanter, it closed down pretty dramatically. Forget it in the cellar for another four or five years. Tremendous potential. 2002-2012. 94+.

1993 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet- Ramonet

I have to confess to being among the early doubters of the 1993 white Burgundy vintage. Upon release, I could barely find any fruit in any of the wines. Amongst the growers I tasted early on was Ramonet, and at the time I felt this was an unmitigated disaster for the domaine. How wrong I was. I have tasted a stunning Puligny "Champs Canet" and Chassagne "Ruchottes" from 1993 over the last six months, and now the '93 Bienvenues. This is a real sleeper vintage for Ramonet! The Bienvenues is superb, with an evolving nose of ripe pears, lemon, bacon fat, peppermint, minerals, spring flowers and squeaky-clean vanillin oak. Full-bodied and supremely elegant on the palate, with bright, buttressing acids just beginning to peel back and reveal a stunning bottle of wine. Long and very complex on the finish, this is a quintessential Ramonet Bienvenues that is not far off the pace of the 1990! While this wine is approachable now, it is certainly still on its way up. 2000-2010. 92+.

1994 Domaine Valette Pouilly Fuisse Clos Reyssie Reserve Particulaire

I had a hard time believing that this is a highly-regarded wine in some circles. The nose is so heavily botrytized that, to my taste, it is clearly flawed. On the nose, intense tropical aromas of mango and pineapple are coupled to a firm mineral underpinning, scents of spring flowers, and plenty of expensive buttery oak. On the palate, the wine is big, snappy and tropical on the attack, but totally falls apart from the mid-palate back. Disjointed and unpleasant, with odd grassy notes, a distinct greenness, and bitter phenolics on the finish, this is as pedestrian a bottle of (allegedly) serious Maconnais wine as I have tasted in quite a while. Maybe the other cuvees are better, but the '94 Clos Reyssie Reserve Particulaire is a bottle I would strenuously avoid. For those who read quicker than I, try dumping this disaster at auction before the word gets out! 1997-1999. 84.

1928 Corton "Bressandes"- Labaume Aine

The wine had no label, just a little sticker put on by the previous owner and a stamped capsule with the name Labaume Aine on it. I suspect that this was a negociant at the time. The bottle was ullaged about 2 inches, but the color of the wine was a pretty saturated cherry red. It certainly looked promising. On the nose the wine was initially quite maderized, but with a few minutes air the wine cleaned up noticeably. The nose offered up scents of red currants, venison, mushrooms, sous bois, vinesmoke, herbs and cedary wood. Medium-bodied and pretty fragile on the palate, with notes of oxidation returning after fifteen minutes in the glass. Well past its glory days, and really only an intellectual curiosity. 80. .

1957 La Tache- DRC

This is a four-star wine from Michael Broadbent, and even though the cork on this particular bottle crumbled, the wine was indeed superb. The nose showed a hint of maderization when first opened, but this disappeared after five or ten minutes of air. The color showed plenty of saturation still, even though the wine was ullaged about two inches. On the nose the wine was stunning, with kaleidoscopic scents of plums, raspberry, duck, sous bois, cola, allspice, cloves, vinesmoke, and cedary wood. Round, bright and opulent on the palate, with a fat, juicy core of fruit, bright acids, and just the faintest threat of imminent demise on the long finish. This is a vintage of La Tache (much like the 1962) that I would look for at auction, as it should be dramatically less costly than the sexy years of 1959, 1964, 1966, and 1969. Bottles with perfect corks should easily last another decade. A really lovely wine. 1997-2005. 93+.

1959 Chambertin- Pierre Damoy

Pierre Damoy's reputation, long that of the quintessential underachiever (now rectified by the arrival of a very committed younger generation to the helm) was not earned with this wine! I bought this out of a cellar as an afterthought, convinced that it would be unimpressive, but unwilling to leave behind a 1959 Chambertin that I had never tasted. Curiosity has its rewards! The nose is magical, churning from the glass with scents of raspberry, plum, grilled meats, sous bois, coffee, mushroom, plenty of minerals, and a deft touch of cedary wood. Just a whisper of volatile acidity crops up in the bouquet, but its overall effect is to further project the aromatics, rather than marring them! Full-bodied, round and opulent on the palate, with the thickness of '59 fruit well-displayed, melting tannins, a bright acidity on the finish. I would venture that the elevated level of acidity should continue to keep this wine fresh and vigorous for another fifteen years. Super stuff, and a wonderful surprise. 1997-2010. 93.

1966 Corton Dr. Peste- Hospices de Beaune

1966 is a relatively underrated vintage for Burgundy, with many commentators transfixed by the power of the '64s and the equilibrium of the '69s. In my experience, the '66s seem to have retained a bit more acid than the '64s, which translates today into more forceful palate impressions and better structure and grip. The '66 Corton Dr. Peste is a beautiful example of this: deep, rich and with plenty of flavors derived from the soil, the nose offers up black fruity, autumnal tones of plum, black cherry, sous bois, venison, truffle, vinesmoke, herb tones, pepper, coriander and cedary wood. In fact, this is the quintessential wine to drink with venison! Full-bodied, deep and concentrated on the palate, with layers of ripe fruit, fine focus, and a long, bouncy finish. The palate impression hers is at once deep, broad, and zesty, with great freshness and precision carrying on 30+ years out from the vintage. Imagine if Burgundy could age! 1997-2005. 94.

1966 Latricieres-Chambertin- Faiveley

Faiveley's reputation has fallen a bit over the last decade. Francois Faiveley has unwillingly found himself at the center of controversy involving some irresponsible statements made by Robert Parker about Faiveley's wines. Faiveley was successful in his lawsuit for libel, but he has earned Parker's permanent scorn (and much lower scores and reviews) as a result. What all this firestorm obscured was a couple of simple facts: Parker was simply overly sanguine as to the quality of Faiveley's wines vis a vis some of the Cote d'Or's top producers; and that Faiveley's prices here in the US are simply too high for the quality of the wines. Faiveley's wines are stylish, middleweights that accurately reflect their terroir and offer significant aging potential. However, they lack those extra elements of depth, complexity, freshness and opulence of texture that make top-notch Burgundy the world's most compelling red wine drinking experience. Simply said, the same money today will buy a superior wine from Christophe Roumier, Charles Rousseau, Emmanuel Rouget, Robert Chevillon, Domaine Dujac and a host of other producers. Lower the price or pump up the volume, and they would have a more meaningful impact in the American market. However, the quality of the wines from this domaine throughout the 1960s and 1970s was superb. They seem to have more mid-palate depth and more sweetness than the wines being released today. Are higher yields the culprit? In any case, the 1966 Latricieres-Chambertin was lovely: sweet, resolved and very complex on the nose, with scents of blackberries, chocolate, sous bois, grilled meats, violets, truffles, smoke and cedary wood. Medium-full, round and seamless on the palate, with a juicy core of fruit, fine structure and balance, and a long, complex finish. This is a quintessential 1966 red Burgundy, that delivers great perfume, focus, and intensity while still remaining light on its feet. Lovely stuff at its apogee, but with another half dozen years of life ahead of it. 1997-2005. 92.

1969 Chambertin Clos de Beze- Rousseaur

This is one of Rousseau's legendary vintages, and this wine performed as profoundly as expected. The magical nose unfolds to show scents of sweet raspberry, black cherry, plum, smoked meats, truffles, woodsmoke, sous bois, herbs, minerals, and cedary, spicy wood. Just about as complex and vibrant as any bouquet I have ever smelled. On the palate this is a big, majestic Burgundy that is at its absolute peak, with layers of sweet, sweet fruit, bright, zesty acidity, perfect focus and balance, and a long, complex, peacock's tail of a finish. This beautiful wine will continue to cruise along at rarefied altitude for another decade or more! Tasting wines like this, it is hard to understand how Rousseau's name is not routinely mentioned in the top handful of producers in the Cote D'Or. Liquid magic! 1997-2010. 99.

1980 Vosne-Romanee "Cros Parantoux"- Henri Jayer

Unfortunately, this wine was moderately corked, though still so profound that we drank it anyway! The nose on this wine is just amazing, with pure scents of black raspberry, plum, Vosne spice, duck, sous bois, coffee, and cedary, spicy wood. Medium-full, round and seamless on the palate, with a fine core of sweet fruit, melting tannins, and a lovely Pinot tang on the finish. 1980 is an extremely successful vintage for Henri Jayer, and this magical wine at its peak is ample evidence of how far the master was ahead of his cohorts in this era. I recently had the 1980 Romanee-Conti and 1978 La Tache, and neither of these wines remotely approaches the quality of this wine. Magical stuff for drinking over the next five years. 1997-2002. 96.

1980 Echezeaux- Henri Jayer

As fine as the 1980 Cros Parantoux is from Hanky J, the Echezeaux is another step up in quality. This is the work of the master at the top of his game. In terms of aromatic complexity and profundity, this wine is absolutely perfect. This wine reminds me very much of the intensely "black fruity" 1978 Echezeaux on the nose, with scents of blackberry, plum, coffee, violets, forest floor, bonfires, herbs, minerals, and an underpinning of vanillin oak exploding from the glass. The depth and projection of the perfume of this wine is haunting. I have simply never smelled a more compelling wine! On the palate the wine is at its magical peak, medium-full with layer upon layer of sweet fruit, perfect focus and balance, and a long, complex, peacock's tail of a finish. The opulence and power of a bigger vintage such as 1978, 1985, or 1990 is the only thing missing, if indeed one can say that this wine is deficient in anything. But I would prefer to dwell on the absolute brilliance of the wine, which has harnessed every last ounce of potential from the 1980 vintage. A great wine in every sense- a high water mark in the course of my life. Don't let the magic dim, drink this wine over the next few years; it is at its absolute apogee. 1997-2001. 98.

1985 Nuits St. Georges "Clos de la Marechale"- Faiveley

I can recall discounting this wine to move it out in 1987. At the time, it seemed too light and polished to ever really amount to a serious bottle of wine. Ten years later, it has aged quite well, and while it will never be a rich, opulent Burg, it is quite nicely balanced and complex. The nose offers up scents of red cherry, plum, woodsmoke, hints of game, earth, herb tones and a touch of oak. Medium-full on the palate, with a fine "tang" of healthy acidity, good intensity, and a long, stylish finish. A delicious wine that has aged better than many of the flashy young wines that towered over it out of the blocks. 1997-2005. 88.

1985 Latricieres-Chambertin- Trapet

While Trapet's reputation has been in full retreat for decades, I continue to be impressed by this particular wine. I have tasted it on five or six occasions over the last four years, and it continues to get better and better, The nose is surprisingly deep and powerful, with scents of cherry, plum, cocoa powder, hints of grilled meats, herb tones, dusty rose, and cedar. Full-bodied and quite complex on the palate, with a fine core of fruit, modest tannins, fine acids, and a long, opulent finish. While so many of the middle level 1985s have witnessed their bloom of youth depart and leave a hollow wine, this bottle continues on put on weight and show every sign of another decade of fine drinking ahead of it. Look for this sleeper at auction. 1997-2010. 92.

1985 Clos des Lambrays

This legendary vineyard has truly fallen on hard times over the last decade or two. back in the 1940s, this was one of the three or four greatest wines in Burgundy, but those heady days are long gone. Today, the Clos des Lambrays struggles to right itself and produce wines at the quality level of a Grand Cru once again. However, the 1985 is one of the bright spots in a string of less than inspired wines. The nose offers up scents of roasted plums, venison, mustard seed, chocolate, herb tones, forest floor, smoke, earth and a hint of toasty new oak. Medium-full, round and deep on the palate, with fine, fat fruit, solid acids, soft tannins, and a long, complex finish. While so many of the flashy 1985s have faded over their stay in bottle, the 1985 Clos des Lambrays remains young and vibrant on the palate. While clearly into its apogee of maturity, it should continue to drink well for another decade. A fine bottle. 1997-2007. 90.

1986 Richebourg- DRC

Still a year or two away from its plateau, the '86 DRC Richebourg is moving along nicely. The nose is quite developed with secondary and tertiary aromas of forest floor, bonfires, raspberry, coffee, game, earth, plums, and toasty new oak. Medium-full, well-balanced, and quite complex on the palate, with a solid core of fruit, just a hint of "metallic tones" (hail?) on the mid-palate, and just a bit of dry tannin on the finish. This is a classic example of a wine that will be delicious with food, but will always have just a touch of astringency if drunk on its own. All in all, a quite successful effort for the vintage. 1997-2005. 89.

1987 Clos St. Denis- Dujac

I have been a big fan of the 1987 vintage in general, and Dujac's 1987s in particular. While they have been dependable friends through the years, it is time to have at 'em! Other than the very top handful of wines in 1987 (Rousseau's Chambertin and Jayer's Echezeaux immediately come to mind), 1987 are beginning to see their fruit fade. The '87 Dujac Clos St. Denis delivers a stylish, mature nose of strawberry, cherry, venison, sous bois, coffee, autumnal tones, pepper and cedar. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine is beginning to show cracks in the edifice, with acidity poking through and a touch of unpleasant pepperiness on the finish. It was a fine bottle for a decade, but the party is over. Drink up. 1997-2000. 86.

1987 Charmes-Chambertin- Dujac

Dujac's 1987s have consistently been lovely; most have been drinking extremely well for the last four or five years. While the Clos de la Roche and Bonnes-Mares should continue to drink well for another five years, the rest of the lineup is best being savored over the next twelve months. As with many '87s, the acidity that has kept these wines fresh and bouncy on the palate is just beginning to get the upper hand on the fruit, and the wines should dry out over the next couple of years. The '97 Charmes-Chambertin was just beginning to hint at oncoming acidity on the finish, but supplied a delightful nose of strawberry, plum, cinnamon, hints of smoked meats, forest floor, herb tones, coffee, minerals, and cedar. Medium-bodied, but with fine delineation and complexity on the palate, this is a very stylish wine to drink this year. Don't let it sneak up on you. 2002-2025. 89.

1987 Richebourg- Meo-Camuzet

1987 was the last vintage where Henri Jayer was still making the wines for Meo-Camuzet, and I have had some wonderful bottles of Meo '87s. However, much like vintages of Jayer's own rendition of Richebourg, I am unclear of the ultimate quality of this Richebourg. Like a few of the Richebourgs bearing the Jayer label (1983 and 1985) that I have had, the '87 Meo Richebourg is rather idiosyncratic, with a high-toned nose of raspberry, strawberry, coffee, herbal notes, pepperiness, smoke and toasty oak. On the palate the acidity still clearly has the upper hand, giving the wine a rather pinched palate impression, though the finish certainly displays good length. There are still some tannins to resolve, but it is the acidity that will be the ultimate arbitrator for the quality of this wine. If it eventually peels back and the wine blossoms, this could be a major, major wine. But today, I cannot confidently state that it will happen. If I had this wine in my cellar, I would bury it for another eight to ten years. At some point, you have to give a nod of faith to the master, and assume this wine will blossom. 2005-2015? 87-94?

1987 Chambertin- Rousseau

This is one of the top four or five wines of the vintage. If one ever needed a convincing argument that it is more important to buy producers, rather than vintage, in Burgundy, here it is. This profound wine explodes from the glass with scents of black cherry, baked plums, cassis, grilled meats, chocolate, herb tones, minerals, forest floor and toasty new oak. Deep, lush and packed with fruit on the palate, with fine tannins, great acidity, laser-like focus and penetration, and a long, aristocratic finish. The tannins are ripe, round, and really beginning to melt away on the finish. Nothing off vintage about this beautiful wine. 1997-2010. 94.

1987 Romanee St.-Vivant- DRC

For the life of me, I cannot understand the laudatory notes I have seen on the 1987 range from DRC. This and the '87 La Tache have been frightfully out of balance wines, with modest depth and mouth-searing tannins and acidity. Maybe the top 1972s were like this out of the blocks, and these wines too will emerge in another decade and delight the faithful. Perhaps. To my palate, I cannot see this wine going anywhere but down the tubes: a reasonably complex nose of raspberry, coffee, herb tones, woodsmoke, minerals, green notes, and cedary wood emerges with some air. On the palate the wine is high-pitched and screechy, with abrasive acids giving way to tough, astringent tannins on the finish. There is little buffering fruit in the middle, giving the wine an overall impression of leanness, meanness, and no generosity. I would love to see this turn into a swan in a decade, but I would not bet the farm on it. Sell at auction now, or wait a decade and pray every day! 83-90?

1987 Echezeaux- Henri Jayer

The wine of the vintage. (The wine of the vintage in every vintage?) The magic of Henri Jayer is one of the joys of this world, and to encounter it in a middling vintage such as 1987 is extra special. The nose on this wine is profound: scents of sweet plum, bonfires, venison, grilled nuts, sous bois, minerals, violets and toasty new oak explode from the glass. While quite complex and developing on the nose, the wine is still a bit backward on the palate, with a great core of sweet fruit, serious Pinot "tang" from sound acids, and a long, complex, modestly tannic finish. It is certainly not a crime to drink this magical wine now, but it will continue to improve over the next couple of years. 2000-2012. 95.

1988 Gevrey-Chambertin "Combottes"- Truchot-Martin

Truchot-Martin is one of my favorite growers in Morey St. Denis. While the wines never start off life deep or powerful, they unquestionably put on weight in the bottle and age extremely well. The '88 Combottes is a delicious wine that is just now beginning to drink well. The nose is lovely, with scents of red cherry, beetroot, hints of grilled meats, mustard, coffee, forest floor, minerals and cedary wood. Medium-full and quite intensely flavored on the palate, with a juicy core of fruit, fine acidity, moderate tannins, and a long, tangy finish. Like so many of the 1988s, Truchot's Combottes is just starting to open up, and should continue to improve for another decade and a half. 1997-2010. 89+.

1988 Charmes-Chambertin- Bernard Dugat

The confusion of which Dugat domaine in Gevrey-Chambertin was awarded five stars by Robert Parker in his book, Burgundy, has never fully been cleared up. Bernard's father, Pierre Dugat, was given five stars by Mr. Parker in his 1990 book (one of only eleven red wine producers to be granted five stars), though he seemed to be confused about which Dugat he had given the five star rating to when the fine wines of Claude Dugat emerged on the scene commencing with the 1990 vintage. For the record, Pierre and his brother Maurice split the family domaine between them in 1978. Maurice's side of the family domaine is now run by his son, Claude, and is represented in the US by Robert Kacher. Pierre's son Bernard is now in charge of the other side of the property (though his father Pierre still makes and sells wine to private clients in Europe), which is now called Domaine Dugat-Py, and imported into America by Peter Weygandt. However, Bernard Dugat's 1988 Charmes-Chambertin was never imported into the states, I hand carried a bottle back from Burgundy that Monsieur Dugat was kind enough to give me in 1992. At age nine, it was still a tad early to open this wine, but it opened up brilliantly with an hour in the decanter. For those tasters who have had a chance to try Bernard Dugat's Charmes in either 1989 or 1990, the sheer power of the 1988 would come as quite a surprise. The nose explodes from the glass with scents of black cherry, plum, grilled meats, licorice, herb tones, coffee, loads of minerals, and a fine coating of vanillin oak. Deep, immense and perfectly balanced on the palate, with a huge core of fruit, plenty of ripe tannins, and a long, complex, powerful finish. This wine is not far off the size and scale (though less black fruity) of the 1988 Charmes-Chambertin of Joseph Roty! An immensely impressive wine that could use a few more years to hit its apogee. It should drink profoundly for three decades. 2000-2025. 95.

1989 Vosne-Romanee "Petits Monts"- Drouhin

Petits Monts is perhaps the most backward wine in the entire Drouhin portfolio. While this wine is unquestionably one of the most forward of all the Petits Monts made by Drouhin (the first was 1985), and seemingly delicious when it arrived here in the US eighteen months ago, it is just now beginning to fully open and show its full potential. When this wine hits its peak, it is going to be scary stuff. The nose is quintessential Vosne: raspberry, plum, chocolate, duck, herbs, minerals, Vosne spice, vinesmoke, and a fine coating of tasty new oak. Full-bodied, lush, and still very primary on the palate, with great delineation, stunning focus, and a creamy, ripely-tannic finish. While this was a delicious showing, there are still plenty of layers left to unfold over the next six year, so hands off! 2000-2015. 93+.

1989 Clos Vougeot- Meo-Camuzet

Meo's Clos Vougeot is often the forgotten Grand Cru in their lineup, but if the 1989 is any indication, this is one of the great unheralded Grand Crus in the Cote de Nuits. The nose explodes from the glass with scents of black berries, plums, chocolate, sous bois, vinesmoke, herbs, minerals, anise and cedary, spicy wood. Medium-full, bright, and beautifully delineated on the palate, with a fine girdle of acidity, a juicy core of fruit, and a long, complex, very Vosne-like finish. This is an extraordinarily finesseful and complex Clos Vougeot that delivers stunning delicacy without sacrificing any intensity of flavor. Worlds above the 1988. 1997-2010. 92.

1989 Bonnes-Mares- Roumier

In 1989, the Domaine Roumier wines were made by Christophe Roumier's father, Jean-Marie, as Christophe was ill during the harvest. While Christophe's winemaking style is generally considered to produce richer, more powerful wines than that of his father, the 1989 Roumier wines are some of the sturdiest, most cellar-worthy of the vintage. The 1989 Bonnes-Mares has been extremely backward and reserved since its release, and is just now starting to show more than a sliver of its immense potential. The nose is awakening to offer up scents of black cherry, cassis, vinesmoke, venison, sous bois, bitter chocolate, herbs, earth and a touch of cedary wood. Extremely black fruity in tone. On the palate the wine is very full and black fruity, with layers of ripe fruit, fine acidity, great purity, and a long, moderately-tannic finish. Two years ago, I would have insisted that this wine required another ten years in the cellar, but it is moving forward at a brisker pace than I envisioned. Drink 2002-2025. 94.

1990 Beaune Clos des Ursules- Jadot

Always one of Jadot's better wines, this wine started out typically soil-driven and austere on the nose and palate. Faint scents of black cherry were layered over smoked meats, French roast, herbs, soil, grilled nuts and a hint of vanillin oak. With a couple of hour's air, the wine seemed to deliver a bit more fruit, but this is certainly not a typical, thickly fruity 1990. Medium-full, complex and well-balanced on the palate, with fine terroir, high acidity, firm tannins, and a long, complex finish. While this wine will certainly continue to develop well over the next decade, it lacks a certain brightness of fruit that the better 1990s possess. Clearly this slightly austere house style of Jadot is a desired end product. While it may have its adherents, I can think of dozens and dozens of similar level Burgundies that I would rather cellar and drink. 2000-2015. 89.

1990 Corton Pougets- Jadot

Initially, this wine was a big step up from the Clos des Ursules served blind before it, but the distance between the two wines closed significantly as they unfolded in decanters over a couple of hours. With the Corton Pougets, some of the vintages hallmark fruit carried through the Jadot house style, to offer up scents of sweet red cherries, plums, coffee, iron-like soil tones, spiced meats, herbs, and cedary wood. Rich and full on the palate, without the initial edge of austerity that plagued the Clos des Ursules. Here the tannins are firm, but ripe, with plenty of fruit to carry the finish. A rather impressive showing for this wine. 2000-2015. 91.

1990 Chambertin Clos de Beze- Jadot

Served double blind, this was a classy, complex, middleweight that showed some of the thick fruit of 1990, but in a surprisingly modest format. The nose was hardly the quintessential Clos de Beze nose that this wine displays on release: scents of roasted cassis, coffee, meaty tones, earth, nuts, herbs, and a hint of oak waft from the glass. While this wine could still be quite closed, that is not the impression it gives today. Rather the wine seems quite complex and elegant, but hardly the explosive middleweight that it seemed to be early on: medium-full, deep, and long on the palate, with moderate tannins, good balance and focus, and a long, complex finish. This is certainly a very well-made wine, but in the context of big gun 1990 Grand Crus, it is decidedly disappointing. 2000-2020. 92+.

1990 Volnay Caillerets Soixante Ouvrees - Pousse D'Or

Pousse D'Or has made some of the finest Volnays of the vintage. The "60 Ouvrees" and "Clos de la Bouuse D'Or" are both outstanding Burgundies that should provide thrilling drinking in five to seven years. The "60 Ouvrees" was pretty backward juice still, with the '90 flamboyance of fruit still just a promise in the mid-palate. The nose offers up scents of cherry, quince, grilled venison, forest floor, peppery tones, smoke, minerals, and a touch of cedary wood. A few tasters marked this down because they felt it was "Rhone-like". To me, it was purely profound young Burgundy at its grumpy adolescent best. The wine is packed with fruit on the palate, with excellent acidity and structure, and a long, still somewhat disjointed finish. All this lovely wine needs is time.

1990 Clos St. Denis - Arlaud

I wish that there was more serious Clos St. Denis available on the market. To my way of thinking, the aromatic and flavor profile of Clos St. Denis is very similar to Richebourg, if in an ever so slightly downsized version. Unfortunately, the number of truly fine Clos St. Denis made can be counted on one hand (leaving a few fingers!), as this tiny jewel of a vineyard has more than its fair share of young vines and underachievers. This is one of the first 1990 red Burgundies that I have had the temerity to open. Early on, this wine was an exquisite glass of chocolate covered silk plums, but structured along the lines of a fine 1985, rather than a bigger-boned 1990. At age seven, the wine is drinking beautifully: a stunning, creamy nose of plums, cherries, chocolate, underbrush, lead pencil, herb tones and cedar. Sweet and opulent on the palate, with wonderful, chocolatey fruit, fine terroir, a juicy core of fruit, melting tannins, and a long, complex, silky finish. This wine reminds me strikingly of early examples of the better 1985s, but with a broader brush stroke and more depth in the mid-palate. While nowhere near the end of its life, there is no reason to defer gratification, as it is not going to get better! A really lovely drink. 1997-2007. 92.

1990 Charmes-Chambertin- Geantet-Pansiot

A superb effort from this up and coming star in Gevrey-Chambertin. I had this wine a couple of times when it was available on the market, and never caught a really fine showing. One bottle was corked; another was rather disjointed from recent shipping of bottling and seemed full-bodied, but kind of simple and grapey. Well, it does not show that way anymore. This is an extremely elegant, polished, and perfumed Gevrey Grand Cru (many of us guessed Latricieres-Chambertin or Chapelle-Chambertin, two of the most finesseful Grand Crus in Gevrey), with a gorgeous bouquet of black cherry, plum, violets, hints of smoked meats, herbs, chocolate and vanillin oak. Full-bodied, round and seamless on the palate, with layers of silky, thick 1990 fruit, fine tannins, and a long, complex finish. I am kicking myself for not having put some of this wine in the cellar (I had ample opportunity). A lovely drink, albeit, one of the most forward of 1990's Grand Crus. 1997-2010. 92+.

1990 Chambolle-Musigny "Les Charmes"- Ponsot

Ponsot can be maddeningly inconsistent: the dice are rolled both vintage to vintage and bottling to bottling within the same vintage! However, for whatever reason, I have been relatively lucky over the last couple of years and hit mostly great examples. When this happens, the wines can be some of the most exhilarating wines in the world to taste. The '90 Chambolle "les Charmes" is superb success, and a bit of an eye-opener fro those who associate this domaine with sumptuous powermongers. This is classic, "tangy" Chambolle, with a bright bouquet of strawberry, cherry, quince, herbs, coffee, minerals, roses and a whisper of cedary wood. Medium-full, bright and bouncy on the palate, with superb acidity, a great core of fruit, and a long, complex, modestly-tannic finish. This wine is as buttoned up by its acidity as it is by its tannin. Certainly approachable now, but its best years are still four or five away. 2000-2020. 92.

1990 Latricieres-Chambertin- Ponsot

This wine was the perfect follow-up to the series of four top American Pinots that preceded it. While the US wines were very fine, they all lacked the slice of terroir that makes Burgundy such a compelling wine. Almost as if on cue, the '90 Latricieres flashed tremendous soil flavors for the first fifteen minutes that it was in the glass! And then the fruit came rolling in like the tide, and the insurmountable differences between American and Burgundian Pinot Noir became self-evident. The nose here is magnificent, with scents of ripe plums, blackberry, grilled meats, chocolate, herb tones, tones of soil, wood smoke, and hints of cedar exploding from the glass. Deep, rich, and creamy on the palate, with tremendous opulence and fine structure; substantial tannins are absolutely buried in waves of fruit on the finish. A toweringly profound example that is quite a bit more developed than the '90 Ponsot Griottes-Chambertin. 2000-2020. 97.

1990 Griottes-Chambertin- Ponsot

While the Chambolle "Les Charmes" is open enough to provide a window into the future, this wine is still quite monolithic. The nose is deep, dark, and brooding, with scents of cassis, black cherry, chocolate, grilled meats, herb tones, smoke, and earth. Huge, dense, and (someday) very creamy on the palate, this wine is still a good five to seven years away from even providing some nuance and secondary flavors. The tannins are ripe, round, and totally awash in a sea of fruit. The venerable old vines that made this wine so profound in 1985 had been grubbed up by 1990, but the vintage has stepped in and provided a dramatic bottle of Grand Cru. A very, very important wine. 2002-2025. 94-96.

1990 Clos de la Roche VV- Ponsot

When Ponsot gets everything right, as they did in 1990, there are very few Burgundies that can match the sheer fireworks of bouquet, flavor, and textural opulence of the Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes. Along with the 1985, this is one of the most successful vintages for this wine in the last twenty years. In fact, it is a legend in the making. The nose is magnificent, with scents of roasted plums, black cherry, venison, mustard seed, coffee, woodsmoke, and minerals. Deep, full, and opulent on the palate, with waves of fruit, fine structure, and a long, ripely tannic finish. This is a profound wine that is still a good five to seven years away from really hitting its apogee. 2002-2025. 96+.

1990 Vosne-Romanee "Cros Parantoux"- Rouget

Like so many 1982 Bordeaux, this wine is stuck in suspended animation. While it is still a supreme joy to drink, it is a wine that continues to deliver aromatics and flavors that are totally primary in nature. It is an opulent, bountiful mouthful of profound pinot, but years and years away from its peak of maturity. The nose explodes from the glass with scents of black raspberries, roasted plums, violets, cloves, venison, minerals, herb tones and toasty new oak. Huge and caressing on the palate, with billowing fruit, a stunning structure underneath, ripe and well-integrated tannins, and a long, tangy finish. While this wine is a showstopper right now, the multifarious levels of nuance and complexity that will unfold ten years hence require it being buried very, very deep in the cellar. One of the undisputed stars of this legendary vintage. 2005-2035. 97.

1991 Vosne-Romanee "Petits Monts"- Drouhin

Drouhin's best-kept secret is also their longest-lived wine. Of the vintages shipped to the US (1987-1993), only the 1989 and the 1991 are even remotely close to drinking. This wine is just opening, and the bright acidity is beginning to peel back and reveal a surprisingly huge wine. The bouquet offers up scents of cassis, French roast, venison, herb tones, vinesmoke, forest floor, minerals, pepper and toasty new oak. ON the palte the wine is very full-bodied, deep, and complex, with the flavors still a bit muddled with adolescence. A great core of fruit, firm tannins, and excellent length all promise to deliver a stunning bottle of wine in another four to six years. For those that think that Drouhin's house style is a bit easygoing, just sink your teeth into a Petits Monts! 2001-2021. 93.

1991 Corton "Bressandes"- Tollot-Beaut

Every time I have Tollot-Beaut's Corton "Bressandes", I am floored by the quality of the wine, and yet, just as consistently as the Tollots make great Corton, I fail to buy the wine for my cellar. But not anymore! Having safely secured a half case, I can unequivocally recommend this beautiful wine. The nose is stunning, with scents of red currants, blackberry, mince meat, coriander, hints of sous bois, wood smoke, minerals and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is medium-full, but quite intensely flavored, with fine focus and delineation, modest tannins, tangy acidity, and a long, complex finish. I am sure that there are many tasters that require a bit more volume from a wine with an outstanding rating, and those folks will find this wine a bit too cerebral for them

1992 Haut Brion Blanc

Initially, I thought this wine was much older than it turned out to be. The nose showed quite a bit of complexity and resolution, but became fresher and more fruit dominated as the wine evolved in the glass. The nose offers up classic Graves scents of apple, fresh figs, petrol, subtle herb tones, minerals and vanillin oak coupled to Haut Brion's more exotic side of passion fruit and kiwi. Medium-full and very complex on the palate, with beautiful structure, a blossoming mid-palate, crisp acidity, and a long, aristocratic finish. This is a medium-term HBB, that should drink well over the next fifteen or so years. Qualitatively, it is quite similar to the 1985. 1997-2010. 91.

1959 Lynch Bages

This is a vintage of Lynch Bages that I had never crossed paths with previously. It showed remarkably well. The nose offers up the glorious ripeness of 1959 in waves of sweet mullberry fruit, black truffle, mint, tobacco, minerals and cedary wood. Deep, full and lush with sweet fruit on the palate. The tannins are no longer pronounced on the finish, but the wine is still quite well-structured, and very, very long. In fact, this wine possesses First Growth length, and is one of the most elegant examples of Lynch Bages that I have ever tasted. Unlike a few reports on this wine, our bottle was still at its peak, and with years of life ahead of it. A lovely, elegant and velvety counterpoint to the equally fine, more massively endowed 1961. 1997-2010. 94.

1964 Chateau Haut Brion

One of the great Haut Brions from the 1960s, the '64 is a clonal baby of the legendary 1959! The nose is magnificently funky, with scents of grilled meats, blackberry, roasted cassis, black truffles, candlewax, chocolate, earth, woodsmoke, and toasty oak. A very darkly-pitched, black fruity wine. Deep, broad, silky, and opulent on the palate, with tons of black truffles, chocolate and tobacco flavors carrying through; soft tannins, modest acids, and tons of fruit give this wine an opulent, creamy, almost Pomerol-like texture, though the flavors remain inimitably Haut Brion. A long, complex finish thunders out into the night. The ultimate late night claret. 1997-2010. 95+.

1966 Chateau Giscours

A very good, tasty, fully-mature claret that is seemingly more interesting at its apogee than its earlier showings would have indicated. Unflattering reviews abound for this wine, and yet we had a pretty good bottle. Typically Giscours (which translates: atypical Margaux), the 1966 offers up scents of cassis, black truffles, smoke, earth, cigar box, herbs, and a hint of wood. Big, a bit chunky, and quite marked by its soil tones (not surprisingly, a few tasters called this St. Estephe), with fine fruit, good focus, and just a touch scrawny on the finish. The fruit does not quite cover all the tannin on the finish, so this wine is best drunk soon with food. 1997-2003? 87.

1966 Chateau Figeac

This is a stunning example of Figeac at its best, perhaps not as powerful as vintage such as 1964, 1982, and 1990, but a wine with wonderful complexity, plenty of depth, and great breed. The nose is wonderful, with Figeac's telltale cabernet-dominated nose of red cherry, plum, tobacco, chocolate, mint, herb tones, and cedary, spicy wood. Medium-full, round, silky, and very intensely-flavored on the palate, with melting tannins, great balance, a juicy core of fruit, and a long, complex finish. This is a charmer at its peak of maturity, but with ten to fifteen more years of life ahead of it. Broadbent's five stars hits this one on the head; Parker's "85" and "drink up" just another in what is becoming a long litany of errors. 1997-2010. 93+.

1980 Chateau Margaux

1980 Margaux has been drinking beautifully for years, so I was surprised to see it still cruising along at its peak with no signs of imminent decline. Will the 1978 and 1979 Margaux actually attain the same level of polish and perfume as the 1980? The nose is stunning: sweet cassis, blackberry, tobacco, toast, violets, and cedary wood. Medium-full, beautifully balanced and proportioned on the palate, with soft tannins, fine structure, and a long, complex, elegant finish. Really a fine Margaux for drinking over the next several years. 1997-2005. 90.

1985 Chateau La Conseillante

One of the finest La Conseillantes of the last twenty-five years, this is a wine that I always regret not purchasing as a future. At the time, I was quite a disciple of Robert Parker, and his initial panning of the wine was enough for me to take a pass on it. I can vividly recall the first time I tasted the wine at a 1985 Right bank tasting (with all the major wines except Petrus, Lafleur and Certan de May present) where it placed first. Over the years, it has continued to develop beautifully, and is now a very, very suave, creamy middleweight that perfectly captures the spirit of the vintage. The nose offers up scents of crushed raspberries, coffee, notes of dill, chocolate, tobacco, grilled nuts, minerals and sweet vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is medium-full, round and creamy, with a juicy core of fruit and modest tannins giving the wine fine grip on the long, complex finish. A lovely, lovely wine that has drunk well for years, but is still a few years away from its absolute apogee. Quintessential La Conseillante. 2000-2020. 94.

1985 Chateau L'Evangile

1985 L'Evangile is a wine that is plagued by more than its fair share of bottle variation. While none of the bottles I have had could be termed "bad", the less exalted examples offer decidedly less mid-palate depth and sweetness. Fortunately, I have a good friend who owns a case (minus his frequent visits) of perfect examples, from which this bottle was served. Here the roasted, meaty, almost medicinal L'Evangile nose is buttressed with layers of sweet, black fruit, chocolate, herbs tones, minerals, tobacco and cedary wood. Huge, packed with fruit, and velvety on the palate, with loads of extract, ripe tannins, and a long, complex finish. A big, meaty wine that is still a few years away. 2002-2025. 93.

1985 Chateau Lafite Rothschild

This was served by decanting two half bottles together. The two '85 Pomerols were served blind as a flight before this wine, and once this wine hit the palate, there was no turning back! This is another 1985 that Robert Parker completely missed. It is best known for his cranky tirade against pervayors of fashionable labels. Sorry Bob, this wine is a killer: the nose explodes from the glass with scents of sweet, sweet cassis, coffee, tobacco, violets, black truffles, herbs, lead pencil, and cedary wood. The bouquet is at once deeper, more perfumed, more expressive, and yet less developed than either the '85 La Conseillante or '85 L'Evangile. On the palate the wine is huge, but so impeccably balanced, that the overall impression is of a perfectly integrated wine that is light on its feet. On the finish the wine displays moderate tannins, great grip, and so much length that it emphatically demonstrates the paramount role of terroir. Of the '85 First Growth Medocs, I have a strong preference for Lafite. Perhaps only Petrus is a better wine in this vintage. How's that for contrarian? Until time makes all things certain...2002-2040. 96.

1986 Chateau Pape Clement

1986 is a monumental vintage in the Left Bank, but these huge, pure and pristine wines have enough tannin that only the most died in the wool Dunn Howell Mountain fan would dare pull the cork on one today. However, while the northern Medocs are still forbiddingly tannic, the '86 Graves wines are slowly inching their way forward. While I would not venture towards a bottle of Haut Brion or La Mission yet, the Pape Clement (and I imagine Domaine de Chevalier) is a thoroughly pleasant investigation at the present time. On the nose, the wine explodes with scents of pure, sweet cassis, blackberry, roasted tobacco, black truffles, hints of citrus, earthy Graves notes, and cedary, spicy wood. On the palate the wine is deeply etched and very concentrated, with layers of pure fruit, wonderful focus and length, and moderate tannins buried in fruit. This is a finesseful, wonderfully complex, amazingly pure bottle of wine that is eminently drinkable right now, and is but a year or two away from its absolute apogee. The poor man's Haut Brion! 1999-2025. 93+.

1989 Chateau Gloria

An amazingly fine showing for this wine: a ripe, warm and inviting nose of ripe cherries, plums, coffee, hints of tobacco, earth and a fine base of toasty oak. On the palate the wine is lush and seamless, with shocking depth for Gloria, soft, melting tannins, and a pleasantly long finish. I have never had a Gloria at this quality level! It is as if Gloria would behave if made by Haut Marbuzet! 1997-2005. 89.

1971 Chateau de Fargues

Chateau de Fargues is one of my favorite Sauternes. It delivers much the same flavor profile as Chateau D'Y'Quem (albeit without that wine's potential for longevity) at a fraction (1/2) of the price. The 1971 is one of the more successful vintages for De Fargues, and the wine is still firmly planted at its plateau of maturity. The nose is wonderful, with scents of creme brulee, honey, apple, buttered pineapple, apricot and sweet vanillin oak. Full-bodied, rich and viscous on the palate, with just enough acidity to keep the wine fresh and lively on the finish. Drinking beautifully now, the '71 De Fargues should continue at its peak for another eight to ten years. 1997-2010. 91+.

1971 Chateau Climens

Climens is my favorite Sauternes property. As much as I love Y'Quem, the underlying acidity and nervosite of Climens places it ever so slightly ahead of Y'Quem on my personal list. I know it's not better, I just like it better. That said, this particular bottle of the 1971 seemed a touch advanced. Somewhere along the way it had seen some warmer storage, which has given it a deeper color and more caramelized flavors. The nose is still lovely, with scents of creme brulee, orange rind, honey, apricot, pineapple, almonds, and buttery oak. Rich, full, and still snappy with Climens traditional cut of acidity. The finish is long, complex, and very honeyed. Perfect bottles I am sure are even more fruit-dominated and fresher, but this particular bottle was certainly delicious to drink. 1997-2010. 89 (93 for perfect bottles).

1981 Chateau D'Y'Quem (375 ml)

This wine showed shockingly well. I found a number or recent Y'Quems to be shockingly soft and subsequently cloying on the palate (1976, 1980, 1983, 1986), but the 1981 delighted me with its zesty acidity. The nose is always wonderful with Y'Quem: scents of honeyed apricots, oranges, coconut, caramel, minerals, butter, creme brulee, and vanillin oak are totally captivating. Full-bodied, rich and snappy (applause!) on the palate, with a long, complex, opulent finish. When there is acidity present, Y'Quem is such a treat! 1997-2100. 94.

1966 Cote-Rotie- Vidal-Fleury

A nice, pleasant, well-preserved wine that had the misfortune to be served after the 1987 La Turque! What can you do? The nose offered up scents of weedy raspberry fruit, ground pepper, venison, coffee, herb tones, and earth, Medium-full, resolved, but a bit chunky on the palate, with good concentration, but only modest breed. A bit of old fashioned tannin poking through on the finish. Drink up. 1997-2001. 86.

1980 La Mouline- Guigal

One of my favorite La Moulines, this wine is still on the young side. The nose is deep and brooding, with tremendous depth and complexity. Aromas of sweet cassis, shoe polish, grilled nuts, meaty tones, coffee, leather, pepper, violets and toasty new oak can be coaxed from the glass with swirling. On the palate the wine is deep, profound and massively constructed, with fine delineation, moderate tannins, and a long, complex, powerful finish. I have had bottles of this that were more advanced (warmer storage?), but this particular bottle argues for leaving pristine bottles in the cellar for another three to four years. Profound stuff. 2002-2020. 95+.

1983 Chave Hermitage

One of my favorite Chaves, alas this bottle had seen some mistreatment in its youth. More advanced and a bit clipped on the finish, the inherent quality of the 1983 Chave still comes through a bit on the nose and palate. Aromas of ripe raspberries, medicinal syrah notes, grilled meats, pepper, herbs, coffee, minerals, and spicy wood jump from the glass. On the palate the wine is full, suave and silky, with great style and focus, but only modest depth in the mid-palate, and a classy, if slightly short finish. I have had this wine previously where it just exploded on the backend, with layers of ripe fruit, round tannins, and the length of a truly profound wine. Unfortunately, this bottle merely approaches the level of quite good. It was bought on release at Morrell in New York, in case anyone is curious. It came from a cellar where every other bottle was in impeccable condition, so I suspect that poor retail storage was the culprit here. This bottle: 1997-2002. 89+. Well-stored bottles: 2000-2025. 95.

1984 Cote Rotie "La Landonne"- Guigal

Guigal's single vineyards have a wonderful track record in the off vintages of the 1980s. The "La-La" wines of 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1987 are marvelous examples. The 1984 vintage is the least successful of the decade, but this wine is still a delicious bottle of Cote-Rotie. Moderately pinched on the palate and clipped on the finish for La Landonne, the wine still delivers a full-bodied, resolved palate impression, fine balance, and a softly-tannic finish. The nose is the most glorious aspect of this wine, with scents of sweet cassis, roasted game, black pepper, coffee, shoe polish, herb tones, and toasty new oak soaring from the glass. Overall, this is a delicious bottle of wine, but rank it well behind any other La Landonnes from the 1980s. 1997-2004. 89.

1987 Cote-Rotie "La Turque"- Guigal

Are their any French wines that are more readily recognizable on the blind than Guigal's La-La wines? Lord, they are fine. Both 1986 and 1987 delivered profound single vineyard wines from Guigal, and for a while, they were able to be found for less than the usual, painful tariff. Recently, I have not seen either of these two vintages available for less than the standard $150.00 per, but they could still be out there for less. Make it a point to look! The nose explodes from the glass with aromas of cassis, plum, black cherry, bacon fat, grilled venison, pepper, Vosne-like spices, chocolate, herbs, minerals, and toasty new oak. Huge and silky on the palate, with a huge core of fruit, perfect focus, and along, softly-tannic finish. Up into its apogee, this wines has a good decade or two of life ahead of it. For those who were lucky enough to nail this wine early on, they have done themselves a profound service! 1997-2020. 97.

1990 Cuvee Centennaire- Les Cailloux

I have always liked the Les Cailloux twins of 1989 and 1990 Cuvee Centennaire. On previous occasions, I have found the 1990 to possess creamier, sweeter fruit than the slightly larger-scaled and meatier 1989. On this particular occasion, the heavy oak seemed quite intrusive, with the intense raspberry, grilled meats, herbs tones, and coffee struggling to be heard above the roar of raw vanillin oak. What I find true of many of these special cuvees of Chateauneuf du Pape is that the use of wood seems to be pretty amateurish by today's standards. While I think the flavors of Chateauneuf take well to new oak, there needs to be a much more judicious hand utilized with the wood. Perhaps with time, the vignerons who are making these wines will become more sophisticated with their use of oak, and these early wines will be seen as pioneering cuvees. The again, new wood may be abandoned in this region and these wines just an interesting footnote in Chateauneuf's history. 2000-2015 (and hope the wood becomes better integrated!) 92.

1991 Chave Hermitage

One of the minor regrets of my life was the case of this wine I had reserved for me that I did not ultimately purchase. In its youth this wine showed wonderful promise, and at age six it is developing beautifully. Qualitatively, I would rank it about the same as the 1985, though it is quite different stylistically. The '85 is quite red fruity in tone, with underpinnings of grilled meats and minerals. It has fairly high acidity for a Chave. The '91 is much deeper-pitched and voluptuous in style. The nose is classic Chave, with scents of sweet cassis, roasted plums, grilled meats, pepper, hints of hay, coffee, minerals, and toasty new oak. Medium-full on the palate, with a great core of sweet fruit, beautiful delineation, moderate tannins, and a long, complex finish. While this wine does not possess the sheer density of great vintages such as 1990, it should ultimately evolve into a beautiful wine. 2000-2020. 92+.

1994 Cote-Rotie "La Vialierre"- Rene Rostaing

La Vialierre is always one of the most backward of the Rostaing bottlings. This is a vineyard that really throws around its terroir, with the soil flavors forcing the fruit flavors to take a back seat. This was true of the vineyard when it belonged to Rostaing's father-in-law, Dervieuex-Thaize. The nose on the 1994 is quite fine, though tight, with scents of cassis, ground pepper, earth, woodsmoke, grilled nuts, herbs, and toasty new oak. Medium-full, complex, and still a bit austere on the palate, with fine delineation and depth, firm tannins, and a long, potentially complex finish. This wine may well open up dramatically in a few years. 2002-2020. 89+.

1995 Chave St. Joseph "Offerus"

Chave's "negociant" St. Joseph is a wonderful wine. This is a product of Chave's life-long friendship with a number of farmers in the appellation who possess excellent parcels of vineyards, but do not have the time or inclination to bottle their wines themselves. In the past, these great parcels were sold off to larger negociants, and lost in the mix of good and average fruit in the negoce's vat. Chave decided that great fruit should not go to waste, and set up to do the elevage, final blending and bottling of the wine. The nose is much deeper and "black fruity" than Chave's raspberry-scented estate bottled St. Joseph (his parcels are on relatively flat sections of the appellation, rather than on some of the hillside vineyards to be found in the rolling hills of St. Joseph). The nose is lovely: packed with scents of ripe cassis, chocolate, herb tones, grilled meats, pepper, cut hay, violets, and a hint of oak. Deep, full and potentially very velvety on the palate, with moderate tannins, fine extract, and a long, complex finish. While this wine does not possess the sheer concentration and nobility of terroir of Hermitage, it is certainly as fine and example of St. Joseph as I have ever tasted. Much as I love Chave's "estate" St. Joseph, this wine towers over it. 1999-2005. 90.

1995 Chave St. Joseph

This is a wine that has taken a good six months to open up after bottling and shipping. When it first arrived, it was a very pretty, raspberry, smoked meat and ground pepper lightweight, with modest depth and length. At the time, I felt it would never be more than a pleasantly-built little wine without the usual depth and complexity that one expects from the likes of Chave. At the time, I much preferred the 1994 to the 1995. However, with six months in the bottle, this wine has just exploded: a very deep and complex bouquet of black raspberry, chocolate, black pepper, grilled meats, herb tones, violets, hot stones and cedary, spicy wood now soars from the glass. On the palate, the wine has really filled out into a fine middleweight, with a beautiful balance and intensity of flavor, great complexity, and a long, moderately tannic finish. This wine is quite drinkable now, but should continue to improve over the next couple of years. Comeback wine of the year! 1999-2008. 89.

1995 Bianco di Custoza- Le Vigne di San Pietro

The perfect summer white wine. A lovely, fresh bouquet of lemon, casaba melon, coriander, minerals, hints of toast, and spring flowers jumps from the glass. Full-bodied and surprisingly intense on the palate, this wine has with lovely cut, fine soil inflection, a juicy core of fruit, and a long, snappy finish. Given how gaseous and over-cropped many Bianco di Custozas can be, this wine is amazing for its fine balance and strong sense of extract. Serious juice and a serious Sancerre substitute. 1997-1999. 88.

1995 Lugana- Otella

Lugana, like Bianco di Custoza, can be cropped at ludicrously high levels (87 hl./hc.), so finding a serious example is fraught with difficulty. Many wine enthusiasts simply don't bother. However, fine examples of this white can be superb. Otella is clearly an ambitious domaine aiming to be among the top handful of Lugana producers. The nose on the '95 is lovely, with scents of lime, green apple, olive tones, minerals, balsam and spring flowers. Medium-full, complex, and racy on the palate, with a great core of fruit, perfectly integrated acidity, and a surprisingly long, zesty finish. This wine has more depth and grip than 85 percent of Sancerre or Pouilly Fume! Lovely stuff. 1997-1999. 89.

1967 Barolo Monfortino- Giacomo Conterno

This is the only example I have had of this wine. The fill, cork and color on this wine were impeccable, so my assumption is that this particular bottle is representative of the wine. Don't get me wrong, this bottle showed marvelously well: totally at its apogee, with spectacular complexity and a round, silky mature palate. The bouquet is stunning old Barolo: very autumnal and spicy on the nose, with scents of cherry, plum, woodsmoke, anise, truffley tones, forest floor, minerals and spicy, cedary wood. Rich, elegant and fabulously complex on the palate, with beautiful delineation and focus, soft, melting tannins, and a long, complex finish. Very Burgundian in its autumn notes, delicacy and haunting complexity. While nowhere near the edge of decline, the '67 Monfortino is not going to improve from this magical plateau, and is best drunk over the next ten years. For me, this is quintessential Nebbiolo, and...why we wait. 1997-2010. 95.

1985 Barolo Vigna Collonello- Aldo Conterno

I am a huge admirer of the two Conternos: Giacomo and Aldo. In a fine vintage, I have yet to have a less than stellar bottle from either producer. Not surprisingly, Aldo's sure hand has produced a stunning 1985. Just reaching its apogee, Aldo Conterno's Collonello offers up a classic bouquet of bright red cherry fruit, licorice, herb tones, woodsmoke, minerals, roses, road tar and cedary wood. Deep, full and beautifully delineated on the palate, with layers of fruit, fine tannins, and a long, complex, stunning finish. This is a big boy that has everything in perfect harmony. 1997-2015. 93.

1988 Sassiccaia

While I adore 1985 Sassiccaia, I have never found the 1988 to be in the same league. On this occasion, the wine showed much as I would have anticipated, with a bouquet of black cherry, tobacco, herb tones, coffee, road tar, and cedary oak. Reasonably complex and full on the palate, with good focus and a long, somewhat one-dimensional finish. It is certainly a well-made wine, but it lacks a bit of personality and complexity vis a vis the great vintages of Sassiccaia. 1997-2007. 88+.

1988 Ornellaia

This is a slightly bigger wine than the '88 Sassiccaia, but has less nuance and focus. The wine is a bit chunky and four-square, with black fruit aromas of cassis, chocolate, olives, tar, tobacco, earth, and vanillin oak. Full, powerful, and inky on the palate, with fine mid-palate depth, but not much shape and focus as of yet. The tannins are chewy on the finish. This wine may ultimately improve, but for now it is a bit boring. 1997-2007. 87+.

1990 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva- Pertimali

While I am a big fan of Brunello di Montalcino (and Pertimali's in particular), I never see any dramatic difference between the much more expensive "Riservas" and the regular bottlings. The '90 Riserva is certainly lovely enough, with scents of cherry, quince, orange rind, coffee, tobacco, herbs, smoke, and cedary wood wafting from the glass. Full-bodied, concentrated and poised on the palate, with lovely delineation of flavor, solid tannins, and a long, complex finish. At least this wine avoids the "dried-out" nature of many Brunello Riservas that would be better off without the extra year in barrel. A fine wine. 2002-2020. 94+.

1973 Penfolds Grange Hermitage

While the 1975 was a bit atypical, the 1973 Grange is clearly a great vintage for this wine: the nose explodes from the glass with scents of super-ripe cassis, blueberry, chocolate, violets, tobacco, black truffles, violets, and plenty of sweet vanillin oak. Huge and caressing on the palate, with layers of sweet Grange fruit, superb focus, and a long, complex, opulent finish. There are not many wines that are this rich and "syrupy" while still being able to keep their balance and focus. A great, great wine. 1997-2015. 95+.

1975 Penfolds Grange Hermitage

The more delicate of these two old Granges, this would be a great wine to put in as a ringer in a flight of '75 Pomerols. he nose is stunning, with scents of chocolate, black cherry, plum, coffee, herb tones, grilled meats and vanillin oak. Full-bodied (though rather light by Grange's powerhouse standards), with layers of chocolatey fruit, soft tannins, and a long, thick finish. A super wine at its peak. 1997-2005. 93.

1982 Penfold's Grange Hermitage

This wine was served double blind pretty late in an evening of stellar selections and I failed to figure it out. I always can find Grange, one of the world's most distinctive red wines! Oh well, it was nothing short of superb: classic Grange notes of blueberry cheesecake, kirsch, roasted nuts, violets, tobacco, and sweet vanillin oak explode from the glass. Typically syrupy and packed on the palate, with a huge core of fruit, fine balance, modest tannins, and a long, complex, avalanche of fruit on the finish. This wine has been delicious since its release in 1985, and is clearly a step up from the 1981. As fine as it is, I am not sure it possesses the same level of stuffing and extract of such legends as 1971 and 1973. A wonderful wine into its thirty year apogee. 1997-2030. 94.

1992 Elderton Command Reserve Shiraz

This wine is the closest I have ever come to tasting a replica of Penfolds Grange! The palate shares a viscous, syrupy texture, with plenty of weight, great balance, modest tannins, and a long, complex finish. The nose is quintessential Grange: intense aromas of blueberry, cassis, chocolate, shoe polish, peppery tones, violets and a big coating of vanillin oak. A big, opulent, creamy wine that is drinking very well now, but should improve over the next four or five years, and drink well for a couple of decades. However, it is so good out of the blocks, that I suspect that the vast, vast majority of this wine will be drunk up by wine enthusiasts over the next few years. Great stuff! 1997-20215. 94.

1994 Henschke Mount Edelstone

This is a shiraz that really needs some time in the cellar. The couple of Hill of Grace bottlings that I have had led me to believe that this wine would be fairly approachable out of the blocks. Wrong. Make no mistake, this will be a superb, classy wine, but not particularly tasty over the next five years. The nose is tight, but very deep, with scents of sweet cassis, blueberry, shoe polish, tobacco, chocolate, and cedary wood. Pure tight and penetrating on the palate, (in fact, quite claret-like in structure), with a chewy core of fruit, fine structure, and a long, ripely-tannic finish. 2002-2020. 90.

1995 Clarendon Hills "Clarendon Vineyard" Grenache Old Vines

Clarendon Hills has two separate bottlings of old vine Grenache: the Clarendon Vineyard (85 year-old vines) and Blewitt Vineyard (100 year-old vines). Clarendon Hills was able to secure these vineyard sources by outbidding giant Penfolds for the produce of the vineyards. Previously, Penfolds had used these two venerable plots as coloring agents for their everyday Koonunga Hills red bottling! In earlier vintages, Clarendon Hills has blended the two vineyards together to make one old vine Grenache cuvee, but in 1995 the two vineyards produced such different and equally compelling wines that they were bottled separately. The "Clarendon Vineyard' has a bouquet and flavor palette similar to that of Chateau Rayas, the opulent, syrupy texture of a great vintage of La Mouline, and an exaggerated, super-ripe qualities of Bonneau Cuvee Celestins or Penfolds Grange. The color is deep, deep ruby purple (though lightish, compared to the Blewitt!). The nose explodes from the glass with scents of crushed raspberries, mince meat, coffee, herb tones, grilled meats, and vanillin oak. Huge and opulent on the palate, with layers of super-ripe, syrupy fruit, an extremely creamy texture, modest tannins, and a long, powerful, low acid finish. I have to confess that the first time I had this wine I was totally enraptured, but on subsequent tastings, found it a bit over the top for my less adventurous palate. Stylistically, it is not my favorite, but for those who love the big, heady style of red wines, this is an ultimate ride! Because of the lowish acid, I would opt for drinking this wine over the near term. 1997-2007. 95.

1995 Clarendon Hills "Blewitt Vineyard" Grenache Old Vines

While the 85 year-old vines of the Clarendon vineyard have produced a Chateau Rayas on steroids, the 100 year-old vines from the Blewitt Vineyard have produced a totally black colored, massive, impenetrable bottle of Grenache. The brooding nose is quite reticent, but reluctantly offers up scents of sweet cassis, smoked meats, black pepper, shoe polish, violets, bitter chocolate, and vanillin oak. Huge and palate-staining on the palate, with tremendous extract, but no nuance as of yet, substantial tannins, and a long, powerful finish. The importer (who had this wine out of barrel, presumably when it was a tad open), prefers this to the Clarendon Vineyard. For me, I am not sure how this brooding wine will ultimately come out, so I feel more confident giving the nod to the Clarendon. Stylistically, it reminds me of the massively closed monsters that Chapoutier turned out from the Hermitage hill in 1990. 2002-2012? 88-93?

1990 Kalin Cellars Chardonnay Cuvee W

Kalin Cellars was for years my very top pick for cellar-worthy California chardonnay. Due to the vagaries of the New York market, I had lost track of the last handful of Kalin vintages, so this wine was an immense treat to taste. I am sure it suffered a bit for being served double blind after a 1985 Meursault "Rougeouts" from Coche-Dury, but the wine was still impressive. The nose offered up a very fresh, very French signature of buttered apples, lemon, grilled nuts, minerals, floral tones, butterscotch, herbal notes and a fine touch of toasty new oak. Full-bodied and snappy on the palate, with a lovely melange of maturing flavors and crisp, zesty acidity, a solid core of fruit, and a long, mineral-infused finish. Those of us guessing the wine went back and forth between Chassagne and Corton-Charlemagne! Very impressive. 1997-2005. 92.

1995 Marcassin "Hudson" Chardonnay

The '95 Hudson is one of the tightest young Marcassins I have tasted. The nose is tight and reticent, but with coaxing offers up scents of lemon, green apple, pear, plenty of minerals, spring flowers, faint "leesy" tones, and vanillin oak. Full-bodied and quite snappy on the palate, with a very youthful core of ripe fruit, fine soil inflection, and a long, youthful, crisp and zesty finish. At this point, it is hard to see much of the nuance or potential complexity of this wine, but given Helen Turley's marvelous track record with Marcassin, the early reticence is probably a very good thing. I would definitely give the '95 Hudson a good six months or more of bottle age before having at it, and then drink it over the next few years. 1998-2003. 91-94?

1974 Mayacaymus Cabernet Sauvignon

One of California's early legends, this wine continues to show off a Bordeaux signature bouquet: scents of roasted cassis, tobacco, truffles, smoke, earth, herbs, and cedary wood jump from the glass. Full-bodied, rich and roasted on the palate, with a touch of inkiness, but also fine balance and length. This is a big, strapping, Latour look-alike that has been drinking well for ten years, and should keep on cruising for another twenty. Impressive stuff. 1997-2015. 92.

1977 Ridge Monte Bello

As visitors may note, I do not drink a lot of California cabernet sauvignon. While I enjoy the wines, and cellared them seriously throughout the vintages of the 1980s, I have gradually watched my palate shift in other directions. I still had plenty cellared until 1992, but after tasting the 1990 red Burgundies out of barrel, I made quick plans to divest myself of many of my middle-aged cabernets and turn them into the single finest young vintage of red Burgundy that I had ever tasted. For the record, the only cabernets that were not transformed into 1990 Burgundy were my handful of vintages of Ridge Monte Bello. In my experience ( I have had most of the major vintages of Monte Bello between 1968 and 1994), this wine, when fully mature, becomes California's most complex cabernet-based wine. In fact, when served mature Monte Bello blind, I almost always call the wine La Mission Haut Brion! This was the first time I had tried the 1977 (sandwiched between the twin towers of 1976 and 1978, this wine suffers from two immense shadows), and it is a fabulous vintage for Monte Bello. Initially pretty tight and tannic, with undercurrents of strong saddle leather giving way to intense notes of sweet cassis, singed tobacco, hints of grilled meat, chocolate, herb tones, earth and cedary wood. Very Graves-like...no, really. Very full and powerful on the palate, with a huge core of fruit, earthy, Graves flavors, and a shock wave of firm tannin on the finish. I followed this wine over two days, and the first glass on the second day was opulent and velvety, but with fifteen minutes of air, the tannins came roaring back. Clearly enough fruit here to outride the tannin, but it's not there yet! Like a young vintage of old-style Latour! 2002-2050. 94.

1994 Colgin-Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon

I know that I should be very grateful for the opportunity to taste wines such as this, and I fully appreciate the inherent quality of the winemaking here. However, I can't honestly say that I would rush out and stick bottles of this wine in my cellar. It is a strong possibility that this wine will eventually evolve into one of California's finest cabernet-based wines with twelve or fifteen years cellaring, but it is not a certainty. Friends of mine who have had the wine out of barrel are convinced that it will be magical, and I have to agree with them that it is always perilous to place too much faith on the showing of a wine so soon after bottling. The bouquet is deep and brooding, with scents of ultra-pure cassis, blackberry, tobacco, saddle leather, herb notes, earth and cedar. The vibrancy of the fruit on both the nose and the palate is striking. Deep, full, tight and at this stage, very tannic on the palate, with a rock solid core of vivid fruit, well-integrated (substantial) tannins, and a long, complex, chewy finish. Perhaps the tannins are elevated from bottling, and this wine will relax a bit with more bottle age. I have no doubt that the wine possesses tons of fruit to run with the tannins (so balance is not going to be a problem), but it is going to be a long wait before this wine hits primetime. What it tastes like at maturity is anybody's guess. Impressive juice, just not exactly what I look for in cellar companionship. 2010-2050. 94.

1992 Beaux Freres

This is one of the Beaux Freres vintages that continues to show quite well. The nose is quite dominated by smoky, Meo-Camuzet-like oak tones, but also offers up scents of plum, black cherry, Coca-Cola, coffee, and herbal notes. Deep and full on the palate, if not particularly complex, with plenty of fruit, fine focus, and a long, softly-tannic finish. While not cut in my personal style, the wine has held well and is certainly a success. Like Silver Oak Cabernets, this wine aims to do a few things well, and it delivers within that context. 1997-2002. 90.

1995 Williams-Selyem Olivet Lane Pinot Noir

If the '95 Olivet Lane is any indication of what is to come from Williams-Selyem in 1995, we are in store for a serious group of big, lush, opulent wines in this vintage. Decidedly deeper and more extracted than the 1994 Olivet Lane, the nose on the '95 offers up scents of black cherry, strawberry, herb tones, smoke, duck, minerals and toasty new oak. A bit buttoned up when first poured, this wine opened beautifully over its hour in the decanter. Deep, full and quite long on the palate, with a juicy core of fruit, fine balance, moderate tannins, and a complex, long, tangy finish. Delicious now, I would opt for burying this beauty in the cellar for another couple of years to really let the next couple of layers emerge. Bring on the Ferrington and Rochioli! 2000-2010. 92.

1970 Vega Sicilia Unico

I am still not sure whether I prefer the 1968 or 1970 Vega. The 1968 is the deeper, more powerful wine, but it is hard to deny the purity, focus, and freshness of tone of the 1970. The nose here is stellar Vega: sweet plums, blackberry, chocolate, minerals, violets, tobacco and sweet vanillin oak. Laser-like on the palate, with Lafite-like balance, a huge core of fruit, fine acidity and grip, plenty of tannin, and a long, fabulously complex finish. This is a huge wine (though not as big as the 1968) that is so harmoniously balanced that it is deceiving. One of the legendary non-French reds ever made, and amazingly youthful for a twenty-seven year-old wine. I would hold this another six to eight years before popping a bottle- it is clearly on its way up still! 2005-2040. 97+.

1989 Chateau Musar

Tucked in the heart of the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, Chateau Musar has consistently turned out fine wines under enormous difficulties. The 1989 is another stellar success, offering up Musar's signature melange of Chateauneuf-like aromatics and traditional St. Emilion-like weight, texture and structure. With age, my experience indicates that Musar can either turn quite Burgundy-like on the nose and the palate, or maintain a more Bordeaux-like palate impression. The '89 offers up a complex, already developing nose of plums, strawberry, hot bricks, meaty tones, tea leaves and cedar. Medium-bodied, round and silky on the palate, with modest tannins, fine length, and a complex, stylish finish. This wine will not make old bones, but for drinking over the next decade, it will offer up lovely complexity and an opportunity for those who do not cellar wine to taste a wine with emerging secondary and tertiary flavors. 1997-2007. 88+.