Some Monumental Wines from Pomerol

98 points. Deep red-ruby color with an amber edge. Utterly singular perfumed, high-pitched aromas of loganberry, cherry and flowers. An awesomely concentrated wine of huge power and depth. Chewy with extract and wonderful... more

98 points. Deep red-ruby color with an amber edge. Utterly singular perfumed, high-pitched aromas of loganberry, cherry and flowers. An awesomely concentrated wine of huge power and depth. Chewy with extract and wonderfully sweet and rich. Shows the strong iron note I often get from merlot on the Pomerol plateau, along with superripe suggestions of cherry liqueur and dark chocolate. Finishes with great grip and length, and a bit less sweetness than the middle palate would suggest. Drink now through 2020.

98 points. Saturated dark red. Knockout nose of cherries macerated in alcohol, minerals and truffle; hints at a confectionary sweetness. A wine of extraordinary concentration and power; has the thick extract to buffer its... more

98 points. Saturated dark red. Knockout nose of cherries macerated in alcohol, minerals and truffle; hints at a confectionary sweetness. A wine of extraordinary concentration and power; has the thick extract to buffer its alcohol. Finishes with great grip and near-freakish length. By far the best bottle I've had to date of this wine, which in the early '90s seemed distinctly more alcoholic. (My second bottle was a tad cooler on the nose but also boasted uncommon density and thickness and an extremely powerful back end; I would have scored this bottle 95.) This vintage was my preference, as well as the first choice of both groups of tasters, despite the high quality of the other vintages poured.

98 points. Medium-deep red. Slightly roasted, liqueur-like aromas of cherry, raspberry, roasted plum, caramel, dark chocolate and bonfire. A huge wine with great sweetness and chewy depth. Compelling flavors of jammy frui... more

98 points. Medium-deep red. Slightly roasted, liqueur-like aromas of cherry, raspberry, roasted plum, caramel, dark chocolate and bonfire. A huge wine with great sweetness and chewy depth. Compelling flavors of jammy fruits and truffle. A massive wine kept miraculously firm by its minerally grip. The major tannins saturate the teeth and palate. Another magical '61, fully mature now but capable of holding for another decade or two. Had there been a vote for the wine of the weekend, this would certainly have rated among the top two or three bottles. The Rest of the 1982s

96 points. Medium red, with some amber at the edge. Deep, laid-back nose of cherry and coffee, along with a leafy suggestion of cabernet franc; a whiff of old oak dissipated quickly with aeration. Wonderfully sweet but wi... more

96 points. Medium red, with some amber at the edge. Deep, laid-back nose of cherry and coffee, along with a leafy suggestion of cabernet franc; a whiff of old oak dissipated quickly with aeration. Wonderfully sweet but with fruit of steel, as the wine powerful acids give it great tensile strength. Offers distinct roasted notes of surmaturite, yet comes across as youthfully tight. Finishes with powerful tannins and uncanny grip. Amazingly, this wine will still benefit from more bottle aging. Drink 2005 to 2030.