90-92 Points | International Wine Cellar , May 2010

(100% sauvignon blanc; only 37% of the crop was chosen for the final blend; 13.9% alcohol) Pale straw with green highlights. Lovely aromas of grapefruit and kiwi emerge with air, but are dominated at first by freshly cut grass, artichoke and sage. Richer and more complex on entry than the nose suggests, with creamy, ripe citrus fruit flavors complicated by hints of bell pepper and passion fruit. Finishes bright and fresh, with pretty spicy and saline nuances and a youthfully chewy tannic edge. Much more moderate in alcohol than the powerful and flamboyant '07, but I'm not sure I like it more than the '08. Director Paul Pontallier told me he was concerned that some recent Pavillon Blancs would not age as well as he had hoped, and so he has taken steps to preserve freshness, including picking the fruit relatively early, from September 8 through 18. "Picking a little earlier was one step we took," he told me, "but we also eliminated all the final pressings, which yield musts with higher sugar content but lower acidity."

88 Points | Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate