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CHÂTEAU PONTET-CANET 2010 Pauillac. 5ième Cru Classé
CHÂTEAU LA MISSION HAUT-BRION 1982 Pessac-Léognan. Grand Cru Classé
CHÂTEAU LA VIOLETTE 2010 Pomerol.
An absolutely amazing wine, from grapes harvested between the end of September and October 17, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot has close to 15% natural alcohol. It comes from one of the few biodynamic vineyards in Bordeaux, but you are likely to see many more, given the success that Tesseron seems to be having at all levels, both in his vineyards and in his fermentation/winemaking. An astounding, compelling wine with the classic Pauillac nose more o!en associated with its cross-street neighbor, Mouton-Rothschild, creme de cassis, there are also some violets and other assorted floral notes. The wine has off-the-charts massiveness and intensity but never comes across as heavy, overbearing or astringent. Drink: 2021-2061 100 WA
One of the handful of perfect wines of the vintage, the La Mission still possesses a remarkably dense ruby/purple color with only a slight garnet and lightening at the edge. The fruit-dominated aromatics reveal lots of cassis, blueberry, scorched earth, black truffle, incense, graphite and high-class, unsmoked cigar tobacco-like notes. Still exhibiting remarkable concentration, enormous body, silky sweet tannin, and no perceptible acidity, the 1982 remains fresh, delineated and supercompelling. A massive La Mission made by the Dewravin family and their winemakers, all of whom were dismissed the following year when the estate was acquired by Haut-Brion, this modern day legend shows no signs of decline. In fact, it may not have yet reached its peak. Anticipated maturity: now-2060+ 100 WA
Sadly, there's not a whole lot of production to this microscopic estate in Pomerol, but the name says it all. The awesome aromatics include not only raspberries, black cherries, and blackberry, but also the floral perfume of an haute couture house. Its terrific aromatics are followed by a wine with quintessential elegance married to almost unbridled density of fruit, all presented in a flawless and seamless concoction of full-bodied power, elegance and purity. This is a riveting wine and certainly one of the great classics to ever be produced by this tiny estate. Kudos to proprietress Catherine Pere-Verge. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035. February 2013 100 WA
1 bt.
125
6 bts. per lot $1,500 - $1,900
117 CHÂTEAU MARGAUX 2000 Margaux. 1er Cru Classé Absolutely compelling in two tastings of this vintage, the 2000 Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The extraordinary seductiveness, complex aromatics, and purity it exhibits lead me to believe it has reached its window of full maturity. Medium-bodied, with layers of concentration, stunning blue, red, and black fruits intermixed with spring flowers, a subtle dosage of new oak, and a distinctive personality that is elegant while at the same time powerful and substantial, this is a multidimensional wine that was extremely approachable and drinkable in both tastings I had of it. The color remains a healthy, even opaque bluish/purple, but there is no reason to hesitate to drink it. It should evolve for another 30-40 years, so there is no hurry either. 98 WS 100 WA 1 bt.
CHÂTEAU PAVIE 2003 Saint-Émilion. Premier Grand Cru Classé
CHÂTEAU LA MISSION HAUT-BRION 1982 Pessac-Léognan. Grand Cru Classé
The wine has a stunning nose of roasted herbs, grilled meats, charcoal, blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, with some oak still present. Dense, full-bodied and very succulent and lush, this wine seems to be in late adolescence, ready to enter a relatively mature stage. There is always a suspicion because of the extreme heat in July and August that these wines will crack up very quickly, and certainly that will always be a worry, but this one looks set for at least another 10-15 years of drinkability. August 2015 96 WA
100 WA 1 bt.
CHÂTEAU MARGAUX 2000 Margaux. 1er Cru Classé 98 WS 100 WA per lot $1,000 - $1,700
119 CHÂTEAU MARGAUX 2000 Margaux. 1er Cru Classé 98 WS 100 WA 1 bt.
per lot $1,100 - $1,500
122 CHÂTEAU HAUT-BRION 1990 Pessac-Léognan. 1er Cru Classé u. 1 x 1 cm. 1 x 1.5 cm. The 1990 put on weight a!er bo$ling, and is currently rich, full-bodied, opulent, even flamboyant by Haut Brion’s standards. It is an incredible expression of a noble terroir in a top vintage. While it has been fully mature for a number of years, it does not reveal any bricking at the edge, and I suspect it will stay at this level for another 10-15 years June 2009 98 WA
per lot $1,000 - $1,700
118
per lot $1,000 - $1,700
per lot $1,600 - $2,100
121
2 bts.
1 bt.
per lot $1,100 - $1,500
2 bts.
per lot $1,700 - $2,300
123 CHÂTEAU PÉTRUS 2010 Pomerol. The harvest at Petrus took place between September 27 and October 12, and the 2010 finished at 14.1% natural alcohol, which is slightly lower than the 2009's 14.5%. The 2010 reminds me somewhat of the pre-1975 vintages of Petrus, a monster-in-the-making, with loads of mulberry, coffee, licorice and black cherry notes with an overlay of enormous amounts of glycerin and depth. Stunningly rich, full-bodied and more tannic and classic than the 2009, this is an awesome Petrus, but probably needs to be forgo$en for 8-10 years. It should last at least another 50 or more. 100 WA 1 bt.
per lot $3,500 - $4,300
2 bts.
per lot $600 - $900
126 CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE-POYFERRÉ 2009 Saint-Julien. 2ième Cru Classé One of the more flamboyant and sumptuous wines of the vintage, this inky/purple-colored St.-Julien reveals thrilling levels of opulence, richness and aromatic pleasures. A soaring bouquet of creme de cassis, charcoal, graphite and spring flowers is followed by a superconcentrated wine with silky tannins, stunning amounts of glycerin, a voluptuous, multilayered mouthfeel and nearly 14% natural alcohol. Displaying fabulous definition for such a big, plump, massive, concentrated effort, I suspect the tannin levels are high even though they are largely concealed by lavish amounts of fruit, glycerin and extract. Anticipated maturity: 2018 -2040. 93 WS 100 WA 3 bts. per lot $700 - $900
127 CHÂTEAU LA VIEILLE CURE 2009 Bordeaux. 93 WA 12 bts. per lot $400 - $700