Cristal, Brut 2009, 750ml

"There are 6,500 cases of the superb 2006 Dominus (91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot). Its dark plum/purple color is a...

"The 2014 Mouton-Rothschild was closed at first when I tasted the wine in bottle with winemaker Philippe Dhalluin. But as it transpires, this First...

"An extraordinary wine, the classic 2008 Latour (13.5% natural alcohol) is composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc (40%...

"The 2013 M. Etain Cabernet Sauvignon, which is hardly a second wine by any means, offers beautiful blackcurrant fruit with some cedar wood/sandalw...

"This is one of the more perplexing Latours to evaluate. It has plenty of sweetness as well as a gorgeous, rich fruitiness, but it lacks the firmne...

"A spectacular Latour, the 1996 may be the modern day clone of the 1966, only riper. This vintage, which is so variable in Pomerol, St.-Emilion, an...

Cristal, Brut 2009, 1.5L (Gift Box)

"Absolutely spectacular from bottle, but frightfully closed and backward, with massive power and structure, the saturated purple-colored 2000 Leovi...

"As for those in bottle, my favorite is the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. Most of this comes from the Sacrashe Vineyard as well. A dense, full-bodi...

"This sexy, evolved, dense ruby/purple-tinged 2003 reveals notes of smoke, herbs, black currant jam, licorice and graphite. Full-bodied, opulent an...

"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, which was aged for 17 months in 45% new French oak, is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc ...

"A spectacular success, the opaque plum-colored 2003 Leoville Barton is still on the young side of its plateau of maturity. It exhibits a striking ...

"This blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec aged 17 months in French oak is a strong effort ...

"I tend to think that recent vintages of Opus One are even greater than vintages made during this era, but the 2002 is certainly one of the top win...

"The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) comes from a vineyard that contains more volcanic rock. Deep purple-...

"One of the sexiest wines for drinking now and over the next 10-15 years is undoubtedly the 2000 Palmer. A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon and the ...

"The 1976 Yquem continues to go from strength to strength. Who can ignore the awesome bouquet of spices, honeyed fruit, pineapples, bananas, coconu...

"Harvested between September 17 and October 5, this wine seems always open for business, so to speak, much like the great 1982s. The summer of 2009...

"This wine will likely be a major superstar with about 10-15 years of cellaring. It was one of the more closed and difficult wines to penetrate and...

"The 2012 Château Margaux is showing much differently from bottle than it did from cask. Seemingly much fuller and richer, it has a dense ruby/pur...

"This wine continues to be backward, but the bouquet is beginning to develop secondary nuances from roasted herbs and sweet cigar tobacco to compos...

"A behemoth Cabernet Sauvignon is the stern, tannic, concentrated 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (13.5% alcohol). Full-bodied, but closed, with gor...

"This beautiful, stunningly dense purple-colored effort (includes about 90% Cabernet Sauvignon) offers up precise notes of graphite, black cherrie...

"A major sleeper of the vintage and a great effort, the 2006 Mouton-Rothschild boasts abundant notes of crème de cassis, licorice, truffles, forest...

"Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château Palmer was wonderful out of barrel ten years ago and now in bottl...

Cristal, Rose 2009, 750ml (Gift Box)

"Put your seatbelts on for the 2009 Scarecrow, which should end up rivaling their prodigious 2007. A wine of great intensity, an opaque purple colo...

"The 2013 Chardonnay Ross Station Estate displays clean quince, white currant, honeysuckle and pineapple notes, a touch of hazelnut, and a full-bod...

"While in some vintages La Mission Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion can be close in quality, that is not the case in this vintage. The 1996 Haut-Brion, a ...

"The 2011 Barbaresco opens to a dark garnet color and shows immediate opulence and intensity where its aromas are concerned. There’s an undeniable ...

"Made from a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, this spectacular 2003 hits all the sweet spots on the palate. A glor...

"Another wine that could easily end up being rated close to perfect is the 2014 Proprietary Red EE Tench Vineyard, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvign...

"After a perfect wine in 2007, I suppose the 2008 is something of a letdown. A hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon (800 cases), this is still an out...

"Aged in 100% new French oak for 17 months and in bottle for 14 months prior to release, the 2004 Opus One is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7%...

Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage 2000, 750ml

"Readers who require immediate gratification will dislike this wine, which is one of the most concentrated behemoths and tannic blockbusters of the...

"One of the stars of the vintage, the wine (100% Merlot) has exceptional concentration, stunning purity, an inky purple color and a broad, expansiv...

"The blockbuster 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is more primary, but it does display enormous fruit concentration, massive body, and wonderful purity, bal...

"The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois comes from the eastern sector of Chateauneuf du Pape near Bedarrides. Its dense plum/purple color is ac...

"Slightly better is the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Arc Vineyard from Howell Mountain. This wine offers even denser fruit, loads of graphite, mulberry,...

"A spectacular wine, the 1994 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select begins a succession of profound Hillside Select cuvées that continues nearl...

"The 2012 Proprietary Red is a 625-case cuvée made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. The wine ...

"Beautiful, elegant red, blue and black fruits (89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot) as well as some graphite and spice notes jump from the glass...

"A gorgeous wine of grace, elegance, and power, this youthful 2000 will benefit from another five years of cellaring. It appears to have 25 more ye...

"The 2012 Cappella, probably has less Cabernet Franc than his other cuvées but at least 25-30%. This wine has closed down since I had it from barre...

"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon RBS is made from the same clone (337) as the Georges III, but comes from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville and not the...

"A brilliant dense purple color is accompanied by an extraordinary perfume of camphor, graphite, plums, cassis, and barbecue spices. A prodigious, ...