This stunning red wine is dark plum/ruby-colored and exhibits abundant quantities of sweet earth, cherry, plum and tobacco characteristics. It is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a long finish.
Aromas of blackberry, chocolate and toasted oak follow through to a medium-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a long, caressing finish. Refined and silky for the vintage. 91 Points Wine Spectator
Monbousquet has overachieved again with this full-bodied, opulent Merlot based blend. Like music with the volume turned all the way up this is a huge presentation of fruit, structure and tannin.
Robert Parker 93+ It boasts a nose charcoal, smoked herbs, crushed rocks, blackberries, ripe cherries, and espresso beans. This is full-bodied and formidably endowed A beauty, it may be the finest Rol Valentin made to date.
Robert Parker 95pts. A wine for the ages, it possesses layer upon layer of fruit, extract, and glycerin along with high tannin, marvelous purity, an inky/blue/purple color, and stunning richness and intensity.
This concentrated, powerful 2004 is more muscular and virile than most La Mondottes. Its opaque purple color is accompanied by a tight but promising nose of damp earth, blue and black fruits, flowers, licorice, and toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, with high tannin, it is an exceptionally fragrant, pure effort from Stephan von Neipperg that should age well for two decades.
Robert Parker 94pts Another excellent St. Emilion from the underrated 2004 vintage. Everything here is in perfect harmony; rich black fruits, smoky earth and subtle oak balanced perfectly with mouth-watering acidity.
Robert Parker 93pts.Like a professional wrestler in a cashmere jumpsuit this combines power and silkiness on a monumental level. Drink this now. Alone. In the dark. By yourself.
Robert Parker 95pts This is the most intense, muscular, and biggest Monbousquet made to date, and that is saying something considering the 1998 and 1999! So be prepared, it is remarkable wine.
This tremendous terroir has been brought back to life over the last 15 years by Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt. Its 37-acre vineyard, planted in deep clay and limestone soils, is composed of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Pavie-Macquin is not far from Gerard Perse's little treasure, Pavie-Decesse. The 2003 Pavie-Macquin turned out brilliantly, no doubt because its soils supported the summer's torrid heat and drought. Tipping the scales at 13.8% alcohol, it boasts an opaque purple color along with a gorgeous nose of blackberries, smoked meats, licorice, incense, and barbecue spices. Huge fruit on the attack is followed by a powerful, masculine wine with huge extract, high tannin, low acidity, and formidable power. Despite its low acidity, this is a wine to forget for 3-4 years, and drink over the following 20-25 years. When fully mature, this brilliant effort should rival the 2000 and 1998. 95 Points Robert Parker
Intense aromas of tar, blackberry and wet earth, with just a hint of tobacco and flowers. Full-bodied, chewy and long. Extracted, yet turns caressing and velvety in texture. Broad-shouldered and muscular for this estate. This is better than the 2000.
A pretty, attractive Cheval Blanc, the 1995 contains a higher percentage of Merlot in the final blend than usual (50% Merlot/50% Cabernet Franc). This wine has not developed as much fat or weight as its younger sibling, the 1996, but it appears to be an outstanding Cheval Blanc with an enthralling smoky, black currant, coffee, and exotic bouquet. Complex, rich, medium to full-bodied flavors are well-endowed and pure, with surprisingly firm tannin in the finish. Unlike the sweeter, riper 1996, the 1995 may be more structured and potentially longer-lived.
An extraordinary effort, and a candidate for wine of the vintage, the 2004 Ausone boasts an inky/blue/purple color as well as a prodigious nose of crushed rocks, white flowers, sweet truffles, black raspberries, cherries, and graphite. Although possessing huge richness as well as medium to full body, it is incredibly light on its feet..