One of the stars of the vintage, and a remarkable achievement in 2008, with impressive richness, this dense purple colored wine is almost as opaque as the 2010. Spring flowers, crushed rocks, creme de cassis and some subtle oak are followed by a full-bodied, concentrated wine that transcends the vintage character in its power, richness, and aging potential. It also exhibits tremendous precision, purity, and depth of character. It is more forward than the 2010 is likely to be, but probably not as sumptuous as the 2009 will turn out to be. This is a wine to buy. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035. 95+ Points, The Wine Advocate (2011)
Chocolate, coffee and sweet plum notes give this wine great richness. It has wood that needs time to integrate, although the main character is beautiful, velvet-textured, ripe fruit and plenty of sweet tannins. 94 Points, The Wine Enthusiast (2011)
This is dark and brooding, with a tarry wall holding the black currant, melted licorice and espresso notes at bay for now. Extra roasted sage, cedar and briar push in on the finish, which shows an old-school hint. Rock-solid. Best from 2013 through 2021. 92 Points, The Wine Spectator (Dec 2010)
(85% cabernet sauvignon and 15% merlot; 90% new oak) Saturated deep ruby. Complex nose begins with white flowers, then reveals fruity blackcurrant and black cherry aromas complicated by roasted coffee bean, smoke and minerals; archetypical, perfumed St. Julien. Chewy, brooding and deep, with concentrated black cherry, mineral and menthol flavors backed up by strong acids and firm tannins. Turns a touch harsh on the long, pretty finish: it will need a decade of aging, at which time it may well merit an even higher score. 90-93 Points, Stephen Tanzer's Int'l Cellar
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