Steve Tanzer's Best

Best Reds
	2000 Chateau Leoville Barton Saint Julien Bordeaux Blend; Bordeaux;	$199.99
	" 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)
	2003 Chateau Margaux Margaux Bordeaux Blend; Bordeaux;	$499.99
	"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)
	2002 Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac Bordeaux Blend; Bordeaux;	$299.99
	"($130-$180) Good saturated ruby-red. Tight nose hints at currant and smoky oak. Highly concentrated, densely packed and built to age. As young as it is, it also shows a lovely velvety texture rare for this vintage. Finishes with terrific breadth, subtle minerality and noble tannins. I've been a fan of this wine since the outset." -- Steve Tanzer (94 points)
	1999 Hardy's Shiraz Eileen Hardy South Australia Syrah/Shiraz; Other Australia;	$69.99
	" Full, dark red. Complex, musky, exotic nose combines violet, cassis, mint, spices and black pepper, with cedar and vanillin notes and a suggestion of meatiness. Plush on the palate, with intense, minty, slightly meaty cassis, plum and prune flavors harmoniously knit with creamy chocolatey oak and fine, firm tannins. Very natural and built to develop in bottle." -- Steve Tanzer (94 points)
	2004 Chateau Latour Pauillac Bordeaux Blend; Bordeaux;	$399.99
	"Ruby-red. Highly complex aromas of dark berries, graphite, licorice, minerals and cola. Lush, dense and sweet, with a wonderfully creamy, opulent mouth feel for the vintage but no impression of excess weight. This boasts superb fruit and palate coverage. Finishes with very suave, spreading tannins and outstanding persistence. An aristocratic expression of ripe cabernet sauvignon." -- Steve Tanzer (93 points)
	1999 Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle Syrah/Shiraz; Rhone;	$179.99
	" Medium-deep red-ruby. Roasted, tarry red fruits, animal fur and chocolate on the nose; as vibrant and vinous as a barrel sample. Extremely lush and concentrated, and already highly aromatic in the mouth, with notes of red and black fruits, roasted nuts, spices, chocolate and tobacco. Beautifully integrated acidity. Finishes very long, with substantial, very fine tannins." -- Steve Tanzer (93 points)
	NV Chambers Rosewood Winery Grand Muscat Rutherglen (half bottle) Muscat; Victoria;	$69.99
	" 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)
Best Whites
	1996 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Champagne Blend; Champagne;	$159.99
	" Deep, highly complex aromas of citrus skin, nutmeg, porcini mushroom, toasted almond and clove. Rich, dry and impressively deep; superconcentrated and oily. A chewy, spicy Champagne that seemed to grow fresher as it opened in the glass. Really explosive on the aftertaste, finishing with a clinging quality and powerful spicy, nutty flavors. A major mouthful of Champagne, at its best at the dinner table." -- Steve Tanzer (95 points)