92-94 Points | International Wine Cellar , March/April 2013

Tasted in components:  #1, from Beaume: Tough to read initially, displaying scents of dried cherry, cassis and smoked meat.  Chewy and deeply pitched, with sneaky spice and mineral notes coming up with air.  #2, from Peleat: Fresher and more red-fruity, with intense spiciness and a hint of candied violet.  Shows an appealing silkiness.  #3, from L'Hermite: Explosively perfumed bouquet evokes candied red fruits, fresh flowers and minerals, with a hint of Asian spices.  Juicy and precise, with strong finishing cut and focus.  #4, from Meal: Exotic, floral accented red berry preserve and spicecake aromas and flavors.  Sappy and precise, with excellent finishing lift and cut.  #5, from Bessards: The wildest of this set, with deep cherry and dark berry character and impressive power.  Finishes smoky and long, with resonating spiciness.  The bottled wine should be surprisingly dense and dark-fruited for the year, with solid structure and the capacity to age.