| Best Reds |
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2001 Gaja Nebbiolo Sperss Langhe
Nebbiolo; Piedmont; | $199.99 | |
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"Deep, saturated red. Very rich aromas of plum, redcurrant, menthol, graphite and nutty oak, along with a cool minerality. Wonderfully rich, layered and deep; lush and suave but with energy and spine. Really packed with berry, spice, earth and mineral flavors. Finishes dense, broad and very long, with a touch of austerity." -- Steve Tanzer (95 points)
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2003 Chateau Margaux Margaux
Bordeaux Blend; Bordeaux; | $499.99 | |
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"Medium red-ruby. Coffee, mocha, exotic woodsmoke and brown spices on the nose. Fat, full and rich, with intriguing curry and cardamom notes. Opulent and voluptuous wine, with a huge middle palate. But surprisingly tight-grained in the mouth considering the evolution of the wine's aromas. Finishes extremely long, with sandy tannins." -- Steve Tanzer (94 points)
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2000 Chateau Leoville Barton Saint Julien
Bordeaux Blend; Bordeaux; | $199.99 | |
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" Full medium ruby. Knockout superripe nose combines black cherry, licorice and exotic spices. Compellingly sweet, lush and complete, with harmonious acids giving the wine lovely vinosity and extending the flavors. Finishes with lush, dusty tannins and superb persistence. A great vintage for Leoville-Barton." -- Steve Tanzer (94 points)
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1998 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild Pauillac
Bordeaux Blend; Bordeaux; | $499.99 | |
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"Saturated bright ruby. Noble aromas of blackcurrant, cedar, lead pencil, licorice and nutty oak. Very intensely flavored and penetrating, with great class and grip. Impressively concentrated and juicy, but still rather imploded in the middle palate. This showed terrific subtle sweetness as it opened in the glass. Offers quintessential Lafite elegance as well as the strong backbone to support long aging." -- Steve Tanzer (94 points)
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2003 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon; Napa; | $89.99 | |
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"Good full ruby. Very pure flavors of cassis, blackberry and licorice. Dense, rich and pure, with quintessential cabernet flavors of cassis and licorice. Like a finer-grained, fleshier version of the classic but tightly wound 2001. As rich as it is, this also boasts terrific inner-palate energy. Carries a distinctly moderate 13.8% alcohol. Finishes with big but ripe tannins and superb length." -- Steve Tanzer (93 points)
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2001 Gaja Barbaresco
Nebbiolo; Piedmont; | $179.99 | |
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"Good deep red. Complex, ineffable nose combines red fruits, marzipan, tobacco and minerals. Pure, firm and sharply delineated; boasts superb richness of flavor without any undue weight. The wine's solid acid spine contributes to its impression of structure. Finishes gripping and very long." -- Steve Tanzer (93 points)
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NV Chambers Rosewood Winery Grand Muscat Rutherglen (half bottle)
Muscat; Victoria; | $59.99 | |
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" Medium brown. Exotic, high-toned aromas of orange peel, clove, currant and maple syrup; showing more fruit than the muscadelle. Then silky and pliant in the mid-palate, with compelling sweetness and perfect balancing acidity. This is downright elegant. The Muscadelle suggests a higher percentage of older material, but this is even smoother." -- Steve Tanzer (93 points)
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2001 Chateau Margaux Margaux
Bordeaux Blend; Bordeaux; | $249.99 | |
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" Enticing aromas of boysenberry, cedar, espresso and roasted oak. Sweet, lush and broad in the mouth, with sappy berry and espresso flavors. This boasts the pliant texture and near-perfect balance of the vintage's best examples. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins. Like so many 2001s, this is easy to taste today but may well close down in the coming year or so." -- Steve Tanzer (93 points)
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