Category Archives: Tasting Notes

Chateau Haut-Brion 2000

Ratings By Robert Parker 99 Tasting Notes Its bigger sister, the 2000 Haut-Brion (a blend of 51% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc) showed incredibly at the tasting, and for me is one of the three or four most prodigious wines of the vintage. A compelling nose of roasted herbs, scorched earth,… Read More »

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2008

Ratings By Robert Parker 95+ Tasting Notes One of the stars of the vintage, and a remarkable achievement in 2008, with impressive richness, this dense purple colored wine is almost as opaque as the 2010. Spring flowers, crushed rocks, creme de cassis and some subtle oak are followed by a full-bodied, concentrated wine that transcends… Read More »

Chateau Cos d’Estournel 2002

Ratings By Robert Parker 93 Tasting Notes One of the candidates for wine of the vintage, this beauty has a dense purple color to the rim and a classic, noble nose of graphite intermixed with black currant, spice box, licorice, and red and black fruits. Medium to full-bodied with exceptional precision and definition, this beautifully… Read More »

Chateau Rauzan-Segla 1996

Ratings By Robert Parker 88 Tasting Notes The dense, ruby/purple-colored, unfriendly-styled 1996 is tannic, backward, and in need of 8-10 years of cellaring. The wine does seem to possess the requisite fruit and extract, however, to stand up to its powerful structure. Although pure and rich, this wine should not be touched for at least… Read More »

Chateau Lagrange 2004

Ratings By Robert Parker 89+ Tasting Notes This backward, tannic, strikingly oaky St.-Julien reveals a big structure as well as copious power and muscle, and a modern-styled combination of ripe fruit and new oak. While it requires a few years of bottle age to shed its cloak of tannin, and develop more Bordelais character, it… Read More »

Chateau Boyd-Cantenac 1998

Ratings By Robert Parker 86 Tasting Notes Elegant and sweet, but relatively light, this medium-bodied, attenuated Margaux reveals dusty, earthy, black currant, and cedary notes as well as moderate length and depth. It is meant to be drunk over the next decade. (Wine Advocate #134 Apr 2001) By Robert Parker

Chateau Talbot 2000

Ratings By Robert Parker 93 Tasting Notes By Robert Parker This was a strong performance (better than my original notes suggested) by the 2000 Talbot. Close to full maturity, it exhibits a dense ruby/plum/purple color in addition to a subtle herbaceousness intermixed with smoked meats, black currants, licorice, cedar, and foresty notes. Rich and full-bodied… Read More »

Chateau Lafon-Rochet 2008

Ratings By Robert Parker 88 Tasting Notes A strong effort for this vintage, the 2008 exhibits a dark plum/purple color, plenty of firm, rugged, austere tannins, copious red and black fruits, admirable flavor intensity and medium body. Cellar it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 15.(Wine Advocate #194 May 2011) By Robert… Read More »

Chateau Batailley 2002

Ratings By Robert Parker 86 Tasting Notes Deep ruby/purple with a relatively evolved bouquet of plums, cherries, and black currants, this wine is classy, with solidly constructed flavors of red and black fruits, moderate tannin, but a slightly abbreviated finish without a great deal of depth. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.(Wine Advocate #158… Read More »