Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 1968 has an enormous reputation, but on this occasion, it was outclassed by the 1962. It is noticeably deep in color compared to coeval vintages. There are notes of black cherry, cedar, liquorice and undergrowth, yet the overall effect is that the -68 seems a little -serious-. The palate is structured and masculine with slightly drier tannins than the 1962 that leads to a comparatively foursquare, sinewy, obdurate finish. Dare I say that it probably still needs more time? Something tells me I will one day encounter a better bottle than this.

For many years, the 1970 Unico was the greatest Spanish wine that I had ever tasted, and although this was not the same caliber as the previous perfect example, it remains a fabulous wine. It is a blend of 70% Tinto Fino, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot and Malbec and aged for ten years in barriques. It has a thrilling Bordeaux-like personality on the nose that is more aloof than other vintages. The Cabernet component in the blend is pronounced, forming the backbone and austerity of this wine.

A blend of 70% Tinto Fino and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, initially, there seems to be a taint on the nose of the 1974, but what seems like corkiness is manifests into an earthy, tarry scent, suggesting the higher presence of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. The palate is very well balanced and very pure with greater density of the 1975. Leaving it aside for one hour, it turns into one powerhouse of a wine, with laser-like focus and a vibrant, life-affirming finish with orange zest and liquorice. What began a potentially disappointing Unico, ultimately turns out to be a barnstormer.

Full-bodied and powerful yet elegant, the 2015 Côte Rôtie La Mouline is potentially close to perfect. Espresso, grilled meat, caramelized plum and cassis pick up hints of vanilla and herbal-floral notes on the nearly limitless finish. I can’t wait to try this again next year.

The potentially perfect 2015 Cote Rotie La Turque takes all of this vineyard’s exotic floral and herbal notes, red raspberry fruit, spice shadings and meaty complexity and compresses them into an incredibly dense, powerful and intense package. Full-bodied, rich and velvety yet ethereal at the same time, this incredibly long wine should prove to be a legend.

"The 2013 Opus One, a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec, is a beauty. Velvety textured, without a had edge to be found, notes of crème de cassis, blueberry, subtle wood and floral notes gently rise from the wine’s dense purple color. Beautifully full-bodied and extraordinarily elegant and pure, this is certainly one of their great achievements over the last 37 years. The wine has an exquisite finish and can be drunk now or cellared for 25-30 years."

Favia’s 2009 Cerro Sur shows gorgeous energy and finesse. Dark red berries, flowers, mint and mocha are some of the many nuances that are layered through the mid-palate and into the finish. The 2009 stands out for its vibrancy and lively underlying minerality.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon comes across as a bit more reticent and inward next to the superb 2008, but it, too, is a gorgeous wine. Dark red fruit, licorice, smoke and tar are some of the nuances that flow from this layered, gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2009 was bottled just two months ago. It will almost certainly be even better in a few years’ time. A mid-weight, gracious wine, the 2009 should drink well to age 20 or so.

Roederer's 2002 Cristal is a fabulous wine! Originally released in 2009, it was re-released in March this year—and was sold out in a very short time. The Cristal I tasted at Roederer in May 2018 was disgorged in 2010, after seven years sur lie. Its amazing richness and concentration makes it a forerunner of the 2015 and follows the 1999. Only two times—2002 and 2015—the fruit from all 42 plots reserved for Cristal was used for the Cristal.

A deep, dark beauty, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow totally saturates the palate with the essence of blue and black fruit, cassis, bacon fat, mint, flowers and melted road tar. It is at once soft yet massively structured. At times, the 2008 is surprisingly approachable for a young wine from this estate, but then the Diamond Mountain tannins kick in, and it is a different story. Clean veins of minerality frame an insistent finish laced with tar, smoke and plenty of charred aromas and flavors. This dark, brooding beauty should be at its best between ages 15 and anyone’s guess.