Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2018 Meursault Clos de la Barre wafts from the glass with scents of waxy citrus rind, fresh pear, mandarin oil and warm pastry, followed by a medium to full-bodied, attractively deep and complete palate. This is the raciest, most structured and most serious of the domaine's communal-level bottlings, and it will be well worth seeking out. (WK)

Coming about 30% to 40% from Gap's Crown this vintage, the 2018 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast has very pretty, sweet berry fruits—strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb—with accents of tea leaves, dried flowers and fragrant earth. The medium-bodied palate has a great dichotomy of classic Pinot Noir fruit and amaro-like bitterness, juicy, soft and sexy with a long, spicy finish. Lovely!  (EB)

More than a wine, the 2007 Taurasi Riserva Vigna Cinque Querce is an experience. Dig your nose deep into the glass, and you feel as if you are absorbing the aromas from a fistful of moist volcanic earth. Dark fruit, cola, mineral tones, blackberry, spice, licorice, tar and candied chestnut all lift from the beautifully intricate bouquet. The complexity here is truly outstanding and the wine evolves slowly with each additional minute in the glass. It boasts a super smooth texture, with enormous richness and persistency.

The 2007 Syrah Morrison Lane exhibits an alluring perfume of meat, bacon, game, incense, lavender, and blueberry. Easy-going and succulent, it is the most elegant of the Syrah offerings. 

The 2001 Chateau Margaux continues to evolve in impressive fashion. The nose feels sensual, veering towards red rather than black fruit, with disarming purity and perhaps showing more floral/violet character than the 1999. Both display tremendous precision and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, edgy and tensile with crisp acidity, so fresh and vital in the mouth. Tasted next to the 1996 Château Margaux, it is clear to see that the 2001 is several steps behind, yet the way it fans out with such confidence and brio on the finish assures that this has a prosperous future. (NM)

The 1999 Chateau Margaux has been the standout First Growth since I first tasted the wine from barrel. Now reaching its plateau of maturity, it has an understated nose at first, armed with impressive mineralité with a gorgeous graphite seam. The definition and precision here is top class. The palate is medium-bodied and smooth in texture, very harmonious and assured, surprisingly with some new oak still to be fully assimilated into the wine.

The 1996 Chateau Margaux, a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, must be a strong contender for wine of the vintage. It offers everything you desire from this First Growth. It is blessed with breathtaking delineation and freshness on the nose, understated at first and then blossoming with mineral-infused black fruit, hints of blueberry, crushed stone and violet. The palate is perfectly balanced with filigree tannin, perfect acidity, a wine where everything seems to be in its right place.

The 2004 Uriah is 60% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot. Dark ruby-colored, it delivers a splendid perfume of pain grille, red currants, and black cherry. Structured and rich, with gobs of ripe fruit, this lengthy wine does a splendid impersonation of a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. (JM)

The 2018 Lafite Rothschild is blended of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot and has 13.3% alcohol. The Merlot was harvested September 17-24, the Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested September 25 to October 5, and the Cabernet Franc was harvested on September 24. It has a deep purple-black color and then WOW—what a nose.

The 2006 Sequel is made by John Duval, former winemaker of Penfolds Grange. The wine is 96% Syrah and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 18 months in 65% new French oak. Aromas of cedar, smoke, game, bacon, and violets are alluring while leading to a round, layered, smooth-textured, full-bodied wine with several years of aging potential. (JM)