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"Using fruit harvested exclusively from 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards on the hillsides of Bouzy, Champagne, the Paul Bara house has produced Champagnes of exceptional quality for nearly 170 years. The exceptional 2004 features a deep bouquet that jumps from the glass with still youthful expressions of apple, pear, bread dough and mineral notes. On the palate, the wine is deep and full bodied but complex and very refined. A strong core of fruit is balanced with brisk acidity and tremendous length. The finish is quite youthful and this wine will need a few years in the cellar and it will easily develop for 10 to 15 years. From aperitif to dessert, Paul Bara's Champagnes are a perfect accompaniment to any meal." - Jon Ellison, Marquis Wine Cellars

"Medium crimson-purple; a very complex and potent wine, its medium- to full-bodied palate built on a structure of savoury, ripe tannins running from start to finish on the palate, and fusing the black fruit flavours into a single line. 'Bête Noir' is the bane of one's existence." - Australian Wine Companion, May 2012 94 points

"A seemingly weightless, gracious wine, the 2010 Zinfandel Pesenti Vineyard impresses for its superb balance and pure class. Layers of sweet, floral infused nuances add complexity to the expressive red-toned fruit. Saline notes appear later, giving the finish an attractive tension. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2025. 94 points" - Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate #204

"(15% alcohol; a five-variety Bordeaux blend based on 65% cabernet sauvignon): Aromas of currant, cherry, spicecake and nutty oak. Suave, smooth and ripe, with redcurrant and spice flavors complemented by new oak. Harmonious acidity gives balance and shape to the wine. Finishes with slightly edgy oak tannins and excellent length. Very good wine, but I'd still like to be able to see this fruit with a bit less lumber. 90(+?) points" - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 12

"The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape's Grenache component explodes from the glass with intense scents of jammy strawberries, sweet black cherries, raspberries, dusty, loamy, sandstone-like notes and hints of garrigue and licorice. Loads of fruit, full-bodied lusciousness and a viscous texture make for a sumptuous Chateauneuf du Pape to drink over the next 12-14 years. " - The Wine Advocate #203 92 points

"Layers of ripe, cedary black currant and black cherry fruit are endearing and substantial in this opulent, medium to full-bodied wine, which displays notes of underbrush and roasted herbs that give the wine a Provencal nuance to its overall St.-Emilion personality. Already forward and drinkable, this wine should continue to drink nicely for up to 15 or more years. 90 points" - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #199

"Gloria has long been one of the most popular wines in America, but I do not believe they have ever made better wines than they have over the last decade, and the 2009 is one of their finest. While this estate is not a classified growth, it certainly performs like one in 2009. A dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by an expressive, flamboyant bouquet of black fruits, Christmas spices, licorice and roasted Provencal herbs. Fuller-bodied, more concentrated and extracted than most vintages with soft tannins, its low acidity and a sumptuous, plump style remind me of a modern day version of the 1982 (which is fully mature but still in great shape). The 2009 Gloria is a very smart purchase for those looking to maximize their buying power. In fact, this may be the value of the vintage. 93 points" - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #199

"Layers of ripe, cedary black currant and black cherry fruit are endearing and substantial in this opulent, medium to full-bodied wine, which displays notes of underbrush and roasted herbs that give the wine a Provencal nuance to its overall St.-Emilion personality. Already forward and drinkable, this wine should continue to drink nicely for up to 15 or more years. 90 points" - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #199

"An elegant, mid-weight Pomerol with sweet licorice, plum, mocha and raspberry fruit, this wine is generously endowed, with lots of silky glycerin coating the palate. I’m sure the alcohol hits 14% plus. This is more finessed than powerful Pomerol, so drink it over the next 10-15 years. 89 points" - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #199

"This fairly priced Medoc from Jean-Hubert Delon (the proprietor of Leoville-Las-Cases) has hit almost 14% natural alcohol and looks to be the best wine made at this estate since 1982, which drank well for 15 years and cost about $4.00 a bottle in that era. Crisp, mineral notes intermixed with mulberry, black cherry and black currant fruit jump from the glass of this classic Bordeaux, which is both powerful and elegant. There is considerable substance to the wine, with its attractive texture and overall sense of precision and elegance. This is a sleeper of the vintage not to be missed. Anticipated maturity: now-2022. 89 points" - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #199

"Tightly knit, oaky and rich, with formidable concentration, but broodingly backward and not showing the charm and concentration of the top wines of St.-Julien, this 2009 from Lagrange is still an outstanding effort that has length, richness and character. It should be cellared for a good 5-6 years and then consumed over the following 25 years." - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #199

"The Guiraud is one of the outstanding successes of the 2009 vintage, perhaps the best vintage that I have encountered in recent years. It is blessed with a very pretty, candied nose with coconut, almond shavings and clear honey that is very well-defined, although there remains just a little oak to be subsumed over the next couple of years. The palate is medium-bodied with a lovely, joyful apricot and clementine-infused entry. The acidity is perfectly judged while the finish exudes breeding, tension and precision. Outstanding! Drink now-2040+ 96 points" - Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com #205

"This is one of the finest wines I have tasted from this highly regarded terroir that has rarely been exploited to its maximum potential. Loads of chalk dust intertwined with sweet kirsch, black currants, licorice and camphor jump from the glass of this full-bodied wine, which has terrific fruit intensity, lots of glycerin, a lavish richness and a long, heady finish with light to moderate tannin. Give it 1-2 more years of bottle and drink it over the following 15. 91 points" Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #199

Fine chardonnay is a high wire act, requiring perfect balance and grace, yet the enterprise remains essentially racy, a thrill ride. Characterized by lemon drop, beeswax and a distinct minerality, the aromas and flavors are youthful and expressive. The French chardonnay clones boasts a pure expression of the grape, where lemon and citrus blossom aromas combine with a sublime honey quality. The full malo-lactic fermentation here is subtle, showing itself as a sweet honeyed beeswax note in the finish. Pont Neuf Chardonnay is 100% barrel fermented, exclusively in French oak. Aged in 40% new barrels, the wine is aged on the lees, stirred throughout the aging process, and allowed to settle and clarify naturally. The maturity and careful farming of the vineyard is reflected in the balance and exceptional length of the wine in the mouth. 150 cases produced.

A blend of unique vineyard sites, Les Rouges is our homage to the king of the Rhone, Chateauneuf du Pape. Only 65 cases of Pont Neuf “Les Rouges” were produced from our first harvest. Pont Neuf is a new bridge to the old world, a connection between the classic wines from the heart of France and the bold wines of California. the 2010 Pont Neuf “Les Rouges” is a blend of Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache, and Roussanne, four of the thirteen traditional grapes of Chateauneuf du Pape.

"Talley’s 2010 Pinot Noir Stone Corral Vineyard boasts a deep, serious core of dark cherries, tar and spices. This is an especially large-scaled, broad-shouldered wine from Talley. Layers of fruit build to the extroverted, flashy finish. The richness of the fully destemmed fruit comes through in spades. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. 92 points" - Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate #202

"Crowley's 2010 Pinot Noir Gehrts Vineyard - from Richard Gehrts' property adjacent to Domaine Drouhin and its assortment of Dijon clones - offers scents of gentian and fresh cherry and plum, which come to a polished and juicy if lean palate accented by toasted pecan, with a welcome underlying savor of salted beef marrow and roasting pan scrapings. This has the multi-dimensional potential for a superb and elegant Pinot experience, though for now I was a bit taken aback by detached tartness in its finish, where I had instead hoped for a mouthwatering and refreshing invitation to take the next sip. This will, however, almost certainly be well worth watching over the next several years, and even now won't be without usefulness at table. 89 points" - David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate #202