Oldies But Goodies

IN STOCK NOW        AVAILABLE (~1 week notice)

We frequently obtain SMALL quantities of older vintages of California Cabernet, Bordeaux, Ports, etc. There is some risk with older wines, and the buyer assumes that risk. But these are well known properties with a track record, and all have been well stored. These wines should make for a wonderful tasting experience. They are not cheap. Prices are determined quite simply by supply and demand. As top quality wines get older, they get better and more desirable. In addition, there are simply fewer bottles of them left. Collectors seek them out. Prices go up. Ipso Facto, QED.

All bottles are the standard 750 ml size unless otherwise noted. Fill levels are in the neck of the bottle unless otherwise noted.  Subject to prior sale. NOT responsible for typos! I’m also listing Robert Parker (RP), Stephen Tanzer (ST), Wine Enthusiast (WE), or Wine Spectator (WS) ratings if I could find them. I am NOT a fan of these ratings. I know I'm tilting at windmills, but I strongly believe that attaching a number to a wine is misleading at best. The tendency is to overlook some lovely wines without stellar scores and to focus on wines that may still be years away from peak enjoyment. Many of these wines are wonderful because they had very good potential and have had the time to realize that potential, not because they had high scores. If you wish to receive notification of new offerings via e-mail, please send your e-mail address to us at beekman@conversent.net.

The following wines are in stock. Mixed case quantity discounts are available.

CABERNET

• Anderson’s Conn Valley Cabernet Reserve, 1991, $100, WS 93

• Anderson’s Conn Valley Cabernet 1994, $80, WS 90

• Behrens and Hitchcock Cabernet Sauvignon, 2000, $65, RP 91-93

• Behrens and Hitchcock Cabernet Sauvignon, 2000, $130/Magnum, RP 91-93

• Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve, 1995, $125, RP 93, WS 92

• BV Cabernet Latour Private Reserve, 1996, $100, WS 92

• BV Cabernet Latour Private Reserve, 1994, $127, RP 91, WS 92

• Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill, $170, RP 94

• Diamond Creek RRT, $130, WS 94

• Dominus, 2001, $126, RP 95

• Dunn Cabernet Howell Mountain, 1984, $180, RP 95

• Dunn Cabernet Howell Mountain, 1992, $180, RP 97

• Dunn Cabernet Howell Mountain, 1995, $180, RP 96

• Dunn Cabernet Napa, 1992, $130, RP 94

• Dunn Cabernet Napa, 1993, $120, RP 93

• Dunn Cabernet Napa, 1995, $160, RP 94

• Dunn Cabernet Napa, 1997, $130, RP 92

• Etude Cabernet, 1998, $90, RP 90-92

• Etude Cabernet, 1993, $110, RP 92+

• Far Niente Cabernet, 2001, $130, WS 93

• Fisher Cabernet “Lamb Vyd,” 1994, $110, WS 92

• Flora Springs Trilogy, 1999, $75, RP 90 "There are 7,500 cases of the outstanding 1999 Trilogy (a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Malbec). Its elegance and finesse are nicely balanced by the wine's considerable richness. A dense ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of malt chocolate, cocoa, black cherries, currants, licorice, and earth. The wine is medium to full-bodied, pure, and ripe, with nicely integrated acidity and tannin. It will drink well for 12-15 years."

• Forman Cabernet, 1984, $75, WS 92

• Groth Cabernet Reserve, 1996, $99, WS 89

• Joseph Phelps Insignia, 2003, $150, RP 94

• Kathryn Kennedy Cabernet Santa Cruz, 1985, $100, WS 93

• La Jota Howell Mountain Cabernet, 1991, $85 RP 93

• La Jota Howell Mountain Cabernet, 1996, $70

• La Jota Howell Mountain Cabernet Franc, 1999, $60

• La Jota Anniversary Cabernet, 1991, $125, RP 94+

• La Jota Anniversary Cabernet, 1996, $135, RP 96

• Silver Oak Napa, 1995, $190, RP 95

• Silver Oak Napa, 1996, $160, RP 92+

• Silverado Cabernet Limited Reserve, $120, WS 92

• Staglin Cabernet, 1999, $140, RP 89+

• Staglin Cabernet, 2002, $135, RP 94

• William Hill Cabernet Reserve, 2000, $27, WE 90

• Woodward Canyon Cabernet Dedication, 1993, $70, RP 90, WS 90

• Woodward Canyon Cabernet Dedication, 1994, $70, WS 92
  

OTHER DOMESTIC

• Beringer Merlot Bancroft Vineyard Howell Mt, 1996, $90

• Beringer Merlot Bancroft Vineyard Howell Mt, 1993, $90, WS 89

FRENCH BORDEAUX

• Chateau Angelus, 1994, $160 RP 93 "Another inky, purple/black-colored wine, the 1994 offers up heavenly scents of smoked meats, barbeque spices, hickory wood, and plenty of cassis and kirsch liqueur. The fruit's phenomenal purity and denseness, as well as its overall balance is admirable in view of the massive, muscular personality of this huge, full-bodied wine oozing with extract. It is a tour de force in winemaking. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2020."

• Chateau Calon Segur, 1982, $180, RP 93

• Chateau Calon Segur, 1986, $80, RP 88

• Chateau Calon Segur, 1995, $110, RP 92+, WS 96

• Chateau Calon Segur 1996 $85, RP 92

• Chateau Canon de Brem, 2000, $25, RP 89

• Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere, 1995, $85, RP 91+, WS 95 "One of the greatest wines ever produced by this estate. A wild and terrific red. Wonderful aromas of fruit, spices and chocolate (mole sauce!). Full-bodied and tannic, yet velvety and delightful. Masses of flavors on the finish. Hard to resist now."

• Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere, 2000, $150, RP 95: "A triumphant 2000, flamboyant, super-concentrated, yet classic in proportion. Lavish notes of espresso, chocolate, cassis, toasty new oak, & Asian spices Sensationally perfumed, ostentatious. Enormously concentrated and pure, with low acidity and exquisite balance. Potentially the finest CLF made to date Impeccably made. Drink 2006-2022."

• Cap de Faugeres, 2000, $30, RP 89

• Chateau Clerc Milon 1997, $70, RP 89: "Because of its low acidity and evolved style, the 1997 Clerc-Milon deserves consumers' attention. Readers will enjoy its forward, concentrated, cassis/blackberry notes intertwined with coffee, smoke, spice, and chocolate. Drink this lush, hedonistic offering over the next decade."

• Chateau Clerc Milon, 2000, $93, RP 92: "Flamboyant, dense, opaque, from 67% Cab Sauv & 33% Merlot. Muscular, with an unctuous texture & high levels of tannin & extract. More closed & tannic than d'Armailhac, but still somewhat ostentatious, with smoky, leathery notes intermixed with oodles of black fruits and spice box. Drink: 2007-2020."

• Chateau Clinet, Pomerol, 1994, $140, RP 92 "Since 1987, this estate has consistently produced one of the most concentrated and complex wines in Bordeaux. The decision by Jean-Michel Arcaute and oenologist Michel Rolland to (1) limit yields, (2) harvest physiologically ripe grapes with an element of sur-maturitie, and (3) bottle the wine without fining or filtration has resulted in a bevy of splendid wines where the terroir and varietal composition are fully expressed. Inky purple/garnet-colored, with an outrageously intense nose of black truffles, licorice, cedar, and black fruits, this phenomenally extracted wine borders on being too concentrated for its own good. This massive, huge wine possesses 25-30 years of potential longevity. The fruit's remarkable intensity and purity, as well as the liqueur-like richness and unctuosity are something to experience. This is an exceptionally dense, massively-endowed, controversial style of Pomerol that will reward those with patience. The tannins are strong, but so is the extract level. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2025."

• Chateau Cos D’Estournel, 1994, $130, RP 91: "A word of admiration and praise is in order for Bruno Prats. One of St.-Estephe's most forward thinking producers, Prats is never content with merely making outstanding wine. Over the last few years he has improved Cos d'Estournel, already one of the great wines of Bordeaux, by eliminating any filtration at bottling, and replacing the standard paper label with one made of plastic so it will not disintegrate in damp, humid cellars. Cos d'Estournel's unfiltered 1994 is one of the top wines of the vintage. It boasts an opaque blue/black/purple color, as well as a fabulously sweet nose of black fruits, licorice, pain grillee, and Asian spices. Full-bodied, with sweet, opulent fruit that reveals none of the vintage's tough tannin, this remarkably rich, well-balanced, classic wine will prove to be uncommonly long-lived. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2025. Cos d'Estournel is clearly producing wines that are often of first-growth potential."

• Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, 2000, $185, RP 94 "Floral notes intermixed with raspberries, black currants, minerals, and a hint of new oak emerge from the dense purple-colored 2000 Ducru-Beaucaillou. The wine is sweet, dense, and medium to full-bodied, with undeniable elegance and finesse as well as a finish that lasts for 45+ seconds. A wine of remarkable symmetry, balance, elegance, and minerality, it is the Lafite-Rothschild of St.-Julien. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030+."

• Chateau d’Yquem, 2001, $550, WS 100

• Chateau Faugeres, 1998, RP 90, $56

• Chateau Faugeres, 2002, RP 89, $30

• Chateau Figeac, 1990, $240, RP 94

• Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste, 1996, $100, RP 93

• Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste, 1998, $65, RP 90: "The 1998 reveals a classic creme de cassis-scented nose along with powerful, tight, firmly-structured flavors. While moderate tannin is present, there is more than enough extract and depth behind the tannin to support the enthusiastic rating. Should drink well through 2012 or so. This is a top-flight claret."

• Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste, 2000, $75, RP 93

• Chateau Gruaud Larose, 1983, $100, RP 90

• Chateau Gruaud Larose, 1986, $160, RP 94+, WS 93

• Chateau Gruaud Larose, 1990, $165, RP 93

• Chateau Gruaud Larose, 1996, $65, RP 89-91

• Chateau Gruaud Larose, 2001, $60, WS 92

• Chateau Haut-Bages-Liberal, 1998, $36, RP 87

• Chateau Haut Brion, 2003, $400, RP 95

• Chateau Haut Brion, 2001, $300, RP 94

• Chateau Lafite Rothschild, 1999, $400, RP 95

• Chateau La Fleur Petrus, 1996, $75, RP 89+

• Chateau Lafon Rochet, 1995, $60, WS 93: "The best wine ever produced at this estate. So sexy, so wonderful now--but be patient. Dark in color, ruby, inky. Blueberries, cream and vanilla character. Full-bodied, with full yet fine tannins. It literally massages your palate. Best after 2001."

• Chateau Lafon Rochet, 1998, $40

• Chateau La Grange (St. Julien), 1989, $90, WS 95

• Chateau La Grange (St. Julien), 1990, $110, RP 93, WS 95

• Chateau La Mission Haut Brion, 1993, $200, RP 90 "La Mission-Haut-Brion's 1993 is one of the vintage's most promising wines. Jean Delmas is justly proud of his accomplishments with all three of his estates (La Tour-Haut-Brion, La Mission-Haut-Brion, and Haut-Brion) in this rain-plagued vintage. The 1993 La Mission exhibits a deep, dark, ruby/purple color, as well as a provocative nose of blackcurrants, minerals, smoke, and sweet oak. Medium-bodied, with surprisingly sweet tannin, this is an elegant, rich wine. Although there is tannin lurking in the finish, the 1993 La Mission can be drunk with considerable pleasure. It is a complex, pure wine with no astringency or vegetal character. Anticipated maturity: 1999-2010"

• Chateau Latour, 1999, $400, RP 94 "Readers looking for a modern day version of Latour's magnificent 1962 or 1971 should check out the sensational 1999 Latour. It is a big, concentrated offering, exhibiting a dense ruby/purple color, and a classic nose of minerals, black currants, leather, and vanilla. The wine is long, ripe, and medium-bodied, with high levels of sweet tannin. This surprisingly full, concentrated 1999 will last for three decades."

• Chateau Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, 1986, $75, WS 92, Parker: “The 1986 Bon Pasteur is  excellent...luscious medium-to full-bodied flavors. Drink now.”

• Chateau Leoville Barton, 1995, $200, RP 91 "Somewhat closed and reticent after bottling, but still impressive, this 1995 possesses a dark color, as well as an oaky nose with classic scents of cassis, vanillin, cedar, and spice. Dense and medium to full-bodied, with softer tannin and more accessibility than the 1996, but not quite the packed and stacked effect on the palate, the 1995 is an outstanding textbook St.-Julien that will handsomely repay extended cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2025." WS 93 "Tantalising red, with violet, berry and blackberry aromas and hints of earth. Full-bodied and chewy, with lots of fruit and flavors. Long, velvety finish. Best after 2001."

• Chateau Leoville Barton, 1998, $75, RP 91, WS 90

• Chateau Leoville Barton, 1999, $70, RP 90

• Chateau Leoville Las Cases, 1994, $175 RP 93 "Michel Delon, a great man, is the consummate proprietor, meticulously administering this vast estate spread out along the St.-Julien/Pauillac border, separated from Latour's finest vineyard by a mere ten feet. The 1993-95 vintages from Delon are brilliant wines. Leoville-Las-Cases remains one of the irrefutable reference points for high class Bordeaux. One of the more massive Medocs of the vintage, this opaque purple-colored wine exhibits fabulous richness and volume in the mouth. Layers of pure black-cherry and cassis fruit are intermixed with stony, mineral-like scents, as well as high quality toasty oak. Medium to full-bodied, with a sweet, rich entry, this wine possesses plenty of tannin, yet fabulous extract and length. Leoville-Las-Cases is one of the half-dozen great wines of the Medoc in 1994. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2025. This lion never falls asleep on the job!"

• Chateau Leoville Poyferre, 1982, $400, RP 94: “The 1982 Leoville-Poyferre possesses great concentration, full body as well as considerable structure. A dense purple/plum color reveals some lightening at the rim. Terrific concentration hits the palate with tannin. Full-bodied, thick, structured, muscular, and loaded with potential. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030”

• Chateau Margaux, 1999, $340, RP 94

• Chateau Monbousquet, 2000, $160, RP 95: "An enormous effort from extremely low yields of 28-30 hl/ha, aged sur lie and bottled unfined and unfiltered, it exemplifies proprietor Perse's enormous efforts. Black and blue to the rim, this wine represents the essence of this terroir. Its saturated black/purple color is accompanied by extraordinary aromatics of sweet blackberries, chocolate, coffee, incense, new saddle leather, and vanilla. Remarkable intensity, lively acidity, and abundant tannin provide definition and grip. 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. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018."

• Chateau Pichon Lalande, 2003, $175, RP 95: "The brilliant, opulent, fleshy 2003 Pichon Lalande (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot) possesses a high pH of 3.8 as well as 13% alcohol. Reminiscent of the 1982 Pichon Lalande (which never shut down and continues to go from strength to strength), the dense plum/purple-colored 2003 offers gorgeous aromas of blackberries, plum liqueur, sweet cherries, smoke, and melted licorice. Fleshy, full-bodied, and intense, displaying a seamless integration of wood, acidity, tannin, and alcohol, this beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 20 years or more."

• Chateau Pontet Canet, 1995, $130, RP 92

• Chateau Pontet Canet, 1996, $120, RP 92

• Chateau Pontet Canet, 2000, $100, RP 92+

• Chateau Pontet Canet, 2002, $60, WS 92

• Chateau Rauzan Segla, 1995, $85, RP 92-94

• Chateau Roc de Cambes (Cotes de Bourg), 1993, $30. RP 86

• Chateau Talbot, 1982, $195, RP 94

FRENCH RED BURGUNDY

• Chateau de Beaucastel, 1986, $95, WS 91

• Chateau de Beaucastel, 1995, $110, RP 93, WS 95

• Chateau de Beaucastel, 1995, MAGNUM, $225, RP 93, WS 95

• Chateau de Beaucastel, 1997 $85, RP 89-91 "Yields for the 1997 Chateauneuf du Pape were tiny, averaging 22 hectoliters per hectare, and the wine is one of the most seductive and forward young Beaucastels I have tasted since the 1985. The blend was 35% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 10% Counoise, 5% Syrah, 5% Cinsault, and the rest other southern Rhone varietals. The deep ruby color is accompanied by forward, attractive aromatics consisting of black raspberries, cherries, licorice, floral, and herb scents. The wine is fruit-driven, with less structure than usual, but luscious cassis, licorice, and blackberries inundate the palate with no hard edges. A seductive, supple-textured, medium to full-bodied Beaucastel, this wine should drink well young, and last for through at least 2015."

• Chateau de Beaucastel, 1999, $90, RP 91

• Chateau de Beaucastel, 2001, $90, RP 96

• Chapoutier St Joseph Granit, 1997, $80, RP 92 

• Vieux Telegraphe, 2000, $90, RP 91 "The elegant 2000 Vieux Telegraphe La Crau possesses 14.8% alcohol, along with a deep ruby/purple color, charming, rich, fruitiness, and firm tannin in the finish. With loads of freshness, copious quantities of pepper, seaweed, and black fruit characteristics, and a distinctive minerality, this full-bodied, sweet 2000 requires 2-3 years of cellaring; it should age well for 15-16 years. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018."

• Vieux Telegraphe, 2001, $100, RP 93 "The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau is gorgeous, structured, impressive. Full-bodied and backward, with great depth, purity, and heady aromatics, this 20,000-case blend of 60% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, and 15% miscellaneous amounts of the other permitted varietals will easily rival the 1998. A deep ruby/purple-tinged color is accompanied by a sweet perfume of salty sea breezes, seaweed, melted licorice, kirsch liqueur, creme de cassis, and iodine ... a classic Vieux-Telegraphe aromatic display. Powerful as well as firmly structured, this is a wine to lay away for 4-5 years. It should prove to be uncommonly long-lived, lasting a minimum of two decades. It gets my nod as the greatest Vieux-Telegraphe since the 1998."

• Cockburn, HALF BOTTLE, 1994, $37, WS 92

• Dow, 1970, $160, WS 94: “A classic Port!”

• Dow, 1970, MAGNUM, $290, WS 94: “A classic Port!”

• Dow, 1977, $180, RP 95

• Dow, 1994, $140, RP 96 "The massive 1994 is unquestionably the finest Dow I have tasted since the 1977. This opaque purple-colored wine is not as developed or flamboyant as Fonseca, but it is super-concentrated and multi-layered, with huge masses of fruit and some tannin in the finish. This is a slightly drier style than Fonseca or Graham's, but it appears to be a classic, majestic, enormously constituted 1994 that should age effortlessly for three decades or more. It is one of the stars of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2030."

• Fonseca 1970, $240, RP93: “The 1970, of is a powerful Fonseca with an exotic bouquet and lush, creamy, multidimensional flavors.” WS 96: “Deeply colored, with smoky mint, tar and fruit aromas, full-bodied, with concentrated fruit flavors.”

• Fonseca 1975, $160, RP89: “Fonseca is one of the great port lodges, producing the most exotic and most complex port. If Fonseca lacks the sheer weight and power of a Taylor, Dow or Warre, or the opulent sweetness and intensity of a Graham, it excels in its magnificently complex, intense bouquet of plummy, cedary, spicy fruit and long, broad, expansive flavors. With its lush, seductive character, one might call it the Pomerol of Vintage ports. When it is young, it often loses out in blind tastings to the heavier, weightier, more tannic wines, but I always find myself upgrading my opinion of Fonseca after it has had 7-10 years of age. The 1975 which is fully mature, shows just how good this house can be; it is port to seek out since the vintage does not have the reputation or the price tag that 1977 and 1970 do. It should drink magnificently for another decade or more.”

• Fonseca, 1985, $160, RP 96, WS 95

• Fonseca, 1992, $160, RP 97, WS 96

• Fonseca, 1994, $200, WS 100

• Fonseca Guimaraens, 1995, $80, WS 92: “A gorgeous young thing--even better than I remember from barrel. This is an extremely fresh, floral and fruity young Port, full to medium in body and of medium sweetness, with a ripe and plummy aftertaste of good length. Best after 2006."

• Fonseca, 1997, $110, RP 93: “Undeniably charming, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine offers a floral, exotic, flamboyant bouquet, a sweet, fleshy style, but not a great deal of weight or massiveness. Heady alcohol, sweet tannin, and a velvety texture make for a gorgeous finish. While I would have preferred to have seen more weight, structure, and intensity, this is an outstanding, albeit lighter than normal Fonseca. Anticipated maturity: now-2020.” 

• Gould Campbell Vintage Porto, MAGNUM, 1977, $195, WS 93

• Graham, 1970, $198, RP 97

• Graham, 1977, $150, RP 95

• Graham, 1983, $100, RP 94

• Graham, 1985, 375ml, $70, RP 97, WS 96

• Graham, 1985, MAGNUM, $230, RP 97, WS 96

• Graham, 1991, $90, WS 93

• Graham Malvedos, 1992, $70, RP 92

• Martinez, 1970, $115, WS 89 "A tough wine with a lot of class. Medium deep red, with cassis, cherry and berry aromas, medium-bodied, with good medium tannins and a very good depth of ripe fruit flavors. It still seems a little closed." [This review dates to 1989]

• Martinez, 1985, $80, WS 89 "A burly wine with muscles. Deep, dark ruby, with concentrated cherry aromas, full-bodied and tightly structured, with ripe tannins and rich cherry and earth flavors." [This review dates to 1989]

• Niepoort, 1977, $130, WS 89 "Powerful, yet maintains a round, rich fruit structure than underscores Niepoort's brilliance. Deep ruby, with an intense raspberry nose, full-bodied, with elegant tannins and masses of sweet fruit flavors. Excellent finish."

• Quinta do Noval, 1966, $145, WS 91

• Rebello-Valente, 1970, $160, WS 92 "Drink it alone for dessert. It is like a delicious piece of fruitcake. Medium red, with a roasted, chocolate, earthy nose, medium-bodied, with plenty of tannins and roasted, fruity flavors on the palate."

• Taylor-Fladgate, 1963, $390, RP 95 "This house must certainly be the Latour of Portugal. Their ports are remarkably backward yet still impressive when young. Of all the vintage ports, those of Taylor need the longest time to mature and even when fully mature seem to have an inner strength and firmness that keep them going for decades. Their tawnys are also among the very best, though somewhat expensive. The 1963 is quite fabulous yet still seemingly capable of developing for another decade or more." WS 97 "A big wine with superb balance, a shining example of this exuberantly fruity vintage. Deep ruby, with violets and coffee on the nose, full-bodied, with dried cherry flavors and plenty of tannin, balanced and long on the finish."

• Taylor-Fladgate, 1970, $260, RP 96 "This house must certainly be the Latour of Portugal. Their ports are remarkably backward yet still impressive when young. Of all the vintage ports, those of Taylor need the longest time to mature and even when fully mature seem to have an inner strength and firmness that keep them going for decades. The fabulous 1970, a broodingly dense-colored, backward port, has all the signs of future greatness." WS 98 "Clearly lives up to Taylor's superb reputation. Deep ruby, with intense violet and chocolate aromas, full-bodied, with gorgeous fruit flavors, full but well-integrated tannins and an extremely long finish. Amazing balance and finesse."

• Taylor-Fladgate, 1977, $165, RP 96, WS 98

• Taylor-Fladgate, 1983, $115, RP 94

• Taylor-Fladgate, 1994, $220, RP 97 "This classically made, opaque purple-colored wine is crammed with black fruits (blueberries and cassis). It reveals high tannin and a reserved style, but it is enormously constituted with massive body, a formidable mid-palate, and exceptional length. It is a young, rich, powerful Taylor that will require 10-15 years of aging. Compared to the more flashy, forward style of the 1992, the 1994 has more in common with such vintages as 1977 and 1970. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2045" WS 100! "In a word, superb. It's full-bodied, moderately sweet and incredibly tannic, but there's amazing finesse and refinement to the texture, not to mention fabulous, concentrated aromas of raspberries, violets and other flowers. Perhaps the greatest Taylor ever, it's better than either the '92 or the '70, though it's very like the '70 in structure. Best after 2010."

• Taylor Fladgate, 1997, $120, RP 96: “Saturated black/purple-colored, with stunning aromatics of blueberries, blackberries, licorice, and iron, this spectacular vintage port is one of the stars of the vintage. Extremely full-bodied, with silky tannin, spectacular concentration and purity, multiple flavor levels, and an evolved, forward personality, this is an exquisite yet precocious 1997 vintage port. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2030.” WS 94: “Beautiful. Very pretty blackberry, violet and cherry character. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Very well done. Best after 2007.” 

• Taylor-Fladgate Vergellas, 2001, $52 

• Taylor-Fladgate Vergellas, 1995, $60, WS 92 CS

• Warre’s, 1983, $70, RP 90

• Warre’s, 1994, $100, RP 94. WS 95

• Abadia Retuerta El Campoanario, $48, RP 93+ (Spain)

• Abadia Retuerta El Palomar, $44, RP 92+ (Spain)

• Antinori Tignanello, 2001, $90

• Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino Reserva, 1997, $90

• Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino, 1998, $65

• Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino, 1999, $75, RP 90

• Clarendon Hills Australis (Australia), 1995, $300, RP 96++, WS 95

• Clarendon Hills Blewitt Springs Old Vines Grenache, 2001, $80, RP 95-97

• Clarendon Hills Hickinbothom Cabernet, 2002, $70, RP 94-96

• Clarendon Hills Liandra Shiraz, 2002, $80, RP 94-96

• Penfolds Grange, 1996, $359, RP 93+ "This dark purple-colored wine exhibits notes of sweet plum, blackberry, and cassis intermixed with some licorice, chocolate, and espresso. It is a blend of 94% Shiraz and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon that tips the scales at 14+% alcohol. The wine is layered, unctuously textured, full-bodied with tremendous intensity, and a 40-second finish. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025. This Grange should ultimately merit a higher score when it is closer to its plateau of drinkability."

• Conterno Fantino Barolo "Sori Ginestra," 1997, $100, RP 92: "The 1997 Barolo Sori Ginestra exhibits a deep ruby/purple color in addition to complex aromas of tobacco smoke and gloriously sweet, jammy cherry liqueur. Ripe, opulent, and full-bodied, with huge amounts of glycerin and extract. This is a super-impressive Barolo. Drink 2005-2021"

• Conterno FantinoBarolo "Vigne del Gris," 1997, $110, RP 93: "Conterno-Fantino's 1997 Barolo Vigne del Gris displays beautifully sweet black fruits in its aromatic profile, and huge, concentrated, full-bodied flavors with enormous muscle, amazing glycerin levels, and exceptional purity. This super-concentrated effort is just beginning to reveal the tell-tale Nebbiolo/Barolo traits of tar, rose petals, and sweet black cherry fruit. This is a super-impressive Barolo. Drink 2003-2021"

• Marcarini Barolo "Brunati," 1998m $65, RP 92: "1998 Marcarini Barolo Brunate—Huge evolved nose of wet earth and tar, opening to show notes of leather, and eucalyptus. This is powerful, dense wine with flavors of dark fruit and licorice and tremendous length, finishing with chewy tannins. A very beautiful and complete wine. Drink after 2008."

• Dom Perignon, 1985, $190, WS 91

• Dom Perignon, 1996, $165

• Fevre Chablis Les Clos, 2002, $110, RP 94 

• Lopez de Heredia Rioja Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva, 1985, $72.50, ST 94 “Juicy, pungent, precise, and minerally; a Chambolle [Chambolle-Musigny is one of the fine villages in the Cotes de Nuits region of Burgundy.] style of Rioja.”

• Lopez de Heredia Rioja Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva, 1976, $100, WS 93 “Generous, lively, and complex. This round red is still rich with fruit flavors of black cherry and plum enhanced by cigar box, sandalwood, and mineral notes that echo on the long, complex finish. Balanced, firm, and fresh. Drink now through 2010.”

• Perrier Jouet Flower, 1990, $120, WS 94

• Pol Roger “Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill,” 1993, $159.95