Sterling Wine Auctions Australia

1997 Fox Creek Shiraz Reserve 96pts Lot 280
The 1997 Shiraz Reserve conceals its nearly 15% alcohol behind a cascade of incredibly rich, concentrated fruit. This wine sees only new American oak. It boasts an opaque black/purple color in addition to knock-out aromas of melted asphalt, blackberries, truffles, and licorice. Cherry jam notes also emerge in the flavors. Unctuously-textured, incredibly ripe, pure, and full-bodied, this wine would make even Australia's Grange look wimpish if tasted side by side. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2025. Celestial black currants intermixed with coffee, licorice, Asian spices, and pain grille notes are more reminiscent of a blockbuster vintage of Mouton-Rothschild than what I would expect from a Shiraz/Cabernets blend.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $US75-125
Wine Advocate #122 April 1999

1998 Fox Creek Shiraz Reserve 98pts Lots 281-287
Nearly perfect, the opaque black/purple-colored 1998 Shiraz Reserve (2,300 cases) plays to the great strength of Australia -- powerful, naturally-textured, super-rich wines that are big and chewy. Exceptionally rich and explosive, with great purity as well as remarkable symmetry and overall balance for such massiveness, this blockbuster can be drunk now or cellared for 12-15 years. Make no doubt about it, this Shiraz will elicit more than a few "wows" in any tasting - blind or otherwise.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $125-180
Wine Advocate #127 February 2000

2005 Greenock Creek Shiraz Alice's 96pts Lots 317-326
The 2005 Alice’s Shiraz spent 28 months in seasoned American oak hogsheads. Aromas of smoke, asphalt, meat, game, truffle, and blueberry soar from the glass. On the palate this full-bodied Shiraz is velvety-textured, layered, spicy, and richly fruity. While not quite as riveting as the 2004 edition, it has enough structure to evolve for several years and should drink well through 2025. Greenock Creek Vineyard & Cellars, owned by Michael and Annabelle Waugh, remains one of South Australia’s iconic wineries. Start with a great terroir, add in old vine material and meticulous winemaking, and end with extraordinary results.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US80
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #181 February 2009

1997 Greenock Creek Shiraz Roennfeldt Road 98pts Lot 341
The nearly perfect 1997 Shiraz Roennfeldt Road boasts a dense opaque purple color in addition to celestial aromas of blackberry liqueur, melted road tar, truffles, and earth. It is full-bodied, with massive layers of fruit and glycerin that cascade over the palate in a seamless, beautifully balanced fashion, and a 55-second finish. This enormous wine is fabulously young with its entire future ahead of it. It should hit its peak in 3-4 years, and last for two decades.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com April 2009 $US340(260)
Wine Advocate #148 Aug 2003

2001 Greenock Creek Shiraz Seven Acre 98pts Lot 343
The 2001 Shiraz Seven Acre is an opulent hussy boasting magnificent fruit concentration, enormous body as well as length, and surprising elegance and purity. As always, the fruit and vineyard character dominate because no new oak is utilized in these offerings.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com August 2007 $US120(85)
Wine Advocate #155 October 2004

1998 Henschke Shiraz Hill Of Grace 97pts Lots 404-412
It is hard to find a more compelling red than Henschke’s 1998 Shiraz Hill of Grace. Made from 100% Shiraz (from vines averaging 52-144 years of age), and aged in primarily new American and French oak for 18 months, it is unquestionably profound. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by a gorgeous perfume of blackberries, graphite, and subtle wood. Dense and full-bodied yet extraordinarily well-defined and layered, it remains young and backward, with tremendous potential. It is the finest Hill of Grace I have ever passed over my palate and down the gullet. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020+.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $US395
Wine Advocate #148 Aug 2003

1999 Henschke Shiraz Hill Of Grace 98pts Lot 416
The prodigious 1999 Shiraz Hill of Grace is a magnificent Eden Valley Shiraz, fashioned from vineyard blocks ranging between 52-144 years of age. Its inky/ruby/plum/purple color is followed by a fragrant perfume of black fruits intermixed with underbrush, dried herbs, vanilla, and spring flowers. Full-bodied, magnificently concentrated, pure, and delineated, this gorgeous, still young, compelling Shiraz is another example of a vintage that more and more appears to be underrated. It should hit its prime in 2-4 years, and last 15-20.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com August 2007 $US325
Wine Advocate #155 October 2004

2004 Hobbs Shiraz 97pts lot 434
The spectacular 2004 Shiraz was sourced from vines planted in 1906 with yields a meager 1.25 tons per acre. It was aged for 2 years in new French oak hogsheads (300-liter barrels). Opaque purple-colored, it has a superb bouquet of wood smoke, pencil lead, licorice, blackberry, and blueberry pie. This leads to a full-bodied, mouth-filling, opulent wine with layers of flavor, great depth, and a long, 60-second finish. It has enough structure to evolve for 6-8 years and should drink well through 2025. Greg and Allison Hobbs’ vineyards are contiguous with Chris Ringland’s Three Rivers vineyards; furthermore, Ringland is a consultant to winemaker Peter Schell. The Hobbs wines are made with minimal intervention and are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com April 2009 $US140
Wine Advocate #173 October 2007

2002 Kalleske Shiraz Greenock 96pts Lots 473-482
The black/purple-colored 2002 Shiraz Greenock emerges from a young vineyard planted on sandy, loamy soil. A tour de force in winemaking, it is a full-throttle, classic Barossa Shiraz that brings to mind some of Rockford’s single vineyard offerings. Great minerality intermixed with fabulous blackberry and cassis fruit and subtle background oak backed up by a sensational texture as well as a long, heady finish make for a spectacular wine that should age effortlessly for 10-15 years.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com September 2007 $US70
Wine Advocate #155 October 2004

1998 Noon Eclipse Proprietary Red Mclaren Vale/Langhorn Creek 96pts Lots 643-645
The 1998 Eclipse (from 35 to 65-year old Shiraz vines cropped at two tons per acre) possesses a whopping 15.7% alcohol, which is totally concealed by the dense, blackberry liqueur-scented and flavored fruit. Notes of cassis, toast, pepper, and licorice can also be found in this thick, full-bodied effort. It is a phenomenally rich, super-extracted wine of astonishing intensity. The tannin is sweet, the acidity low, and the wine unreal. Drink it over the next 10-15+ years. This is a tour de force winemaking effort, and it performed better from the bottle opened forty-eight hours prior to the tasting. This is an exceptional wine from an Australian genius!
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $60-68
Wine Advocate #127 February 2000

2004 Noon Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 96pts Lots 646-651
One of the greatest Cabernet Sauvignons made in Australia comes from Noon, and their 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (100% Cabernet from 34-year-old vines) was aged in a combination of French and American hogsheads and barriques for 18 months prior to bottling. This remarkable Cabernet tastes like a Pauillac on steroids. Aromas and flavors of cedar, wood smoke, creme de cassis, licorice, incense, and graphite are accompanied by an exceptionally full-bodied, precise, fresh, and long wine with a finish that lasts nearly a minute. A truly profound Cabernet Sauvignon, it admirably demonstrates what this varietal can achieve in the hands of a conscientious winemaker. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020+. This estate’s brilliant owners/winemakers, Drew and Rae Noon, are meticulous about everything, including what happens at the vineyards where they contract for fruit. The results are some of the most precise, full-bodied yet remarkably vibrant wines produced in Australia
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $US225
Wine Advocate #167 October 2006

2005 Noon Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 97pts Lots 652-655
The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is sourced from a vineyard planted in 1972. It was aged in small French and American oak for 18 months. Opaque purple in color, it offers up classic Cabernet Sauvignon aromas of smoky oak, pencil lead, scorched earth, black currants, and blackberry liqueur. This leads to a sumptuous, savory, opulent, full-bodied wine which amazingly combines great power with elegance. Although there is plenty of structure and aging potential, the wine is seamless, sexy, and very enticing. Those able to delay gratification can safely cellar this great Cabernet for 10-20 years but it is hard to resist now. Noon Winery is owned and operated by Drew and Rae Noon. It continues to be one of Australia’s benchmarks.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com November 2007 $US130
Wine Advocate #173 October 2007

2006 Noon Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 98pts Lots 656-673
The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from a 35+-year-old vineyard and aged for 18 months in small French and American oak. Opaque purple-colored, it delivers textbook Cabernet aromas of wood smoke, pencil lead, scorched earth, black currants, and blackberry liqueur. This leads to an opulent, full-bodied, concentrated wine that beautifully combines finesse and power. As with most vintages of this wine, it can be enjoyed now or cellared for a decade. It will reward the patient imbiber with a drinking window lasting through 2030. Noon, under the leadership of Drew Noon MW, remains one of Australia-s iconic wineries. As usual, Drew Noon sets the bar for South Australia.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com April 2009 $US63-125
Wine Advocate #181 February 2009

2004 Penfolds Bin 60A 98pts Lots 750-751
The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz Bin 60A Kalimna is a blend of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (56%) and Barossa Shiraz (44%). Its blackberry, blueberry, tar, lead pencil shavings, licorice, and spice box-scented bouquet is followed by a wine boasting an unctuous texture buttressed by decent acidity as well as fabulous extract and richness. This stunning blend should have a minimum of three decades of aging potential and be a true collector’s item for many years to come.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $US101-103
Wine Advocate #167 October 2006

2004 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Block 42 Kalimna 96pts Lots 765-766
The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Block 42 Kalimna (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) spent 13 months in 100% new 300 liter American hogsheads. The result is an opaque purple-colored Cabernet displaying a gorgeously intense perfume of graphite, acacia flowers, black truffles, blueberries, and blackberries. It is seamless, full-bodied, and opulent, with amazing intensity as well as high tannin levels. The latter component is largely concealed by a sensational cascade of fruit and glycerin. This remarkable wine should age gracefully for 20-25 years
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com October 2007 $US225
Wine Advocate #167 October 2006

2001 Penfolds Grange 98pts Lot 810
It is always a treat to taste Australia’s most famous wine, Penfolds’ Grange cuvee (the word Hermitage has been dropped because of legal issues). The 2001 Grange is one of the few vintages of this cuvee to be composed of 100% Shiraz (the others being 1951, 1952, 1963, 1999, and 2000). Aged 17 months in 100% American oak, and tipping the scales at 14.5% alcohol, the 2001 is undeniably one of the top examples of this wine. At this stage, it appears to eclipse the 1998 and 1996. Inky/blue/purple to the rim, with a stunning perfume of blueberries, blackberries, chocolate, graphite, and earth, it boasts good acidity, huge tannins, magnificent concentration, and a multilayered, textured mouthfeel. It is a big, but impeccably well-balanced Shiraz that should shed some of its structure and tannin over the next 4-5 years, and be at its best between 2010-2030+.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $US215-375
Wine Advocate #167 October 2006

NV R L Buller Calliope Rare Muscat 96pts Lot 894
The Calliope Rare Muscat’s light amber color is followed by an intoxicating fragrance that includes scents of prunes, figs, maple syrup, molasses, and gobs of fruit. The glycerin is extraordinary, the acid level provides freshness and definition, and the finish lasts over a minute. This blend represents the newest bottled offerings from this Rutherglen producer, an area that produces spectacular fortifieds, especially the Muscats and Tokays (actually Muscadelle). Its freshness, good acidity, soaring aromatics, and unctuous flavors must be tasted to be believed
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $US110-240
Wine Advocate #161 October 2005

2003 Shirvington Shiraz 96 pts Lots 941-944
The big, concentrated yet velvety-textured, magnificent 2003 Shiraz reveals a seamless integration of tannin, acidity, wood, and alcohol, it boasts aromas of blackberry liqueur intermixed with violets. The fragrant aromatics are followed by an explosively rich, full-bodied, unctuously-textured, compelling Shiraz. Interestingly, this 2003 does not appear to be quite as powerful or concentrated as the 2002s or 2001s, but that’s like splitting hairs. The evolution of this 2003 will be fascinating to follow.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com October 2008 $US100-145 (65)
Wine Advocate #155 October 2004

2003 Standish Shiraz / Viognier The Relic 96-98pts
The 2003 Shiraz/Viognier The Relic is made from 90-year-old Shiraz vines (93%) and Viognier (7%). Aged 30 months in 3- to 5-year-old French barrels, it is an opaque purple-colored offering boasting an extraordinary nose of creme de cassis intermixed with licorice, lead pencil shavings, pepper, and hints of truffles as well as white flowers. Fabulously textured, opulent, full-bodied, and marvelously concentrated, it should drink well for 12-15+ years. If you love the wines of Torbreck, you’ll also find this wine totally compelling.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com October 2007 $US85-125
Wine Advocate #161 October 2005

1999 Chris Ringland (formerly Three Rivers) Shiraz 98pts Lots 970-971
The Chris Ringland (formerly known as Three Rivers Shiraz), is aged 42 months in 100% new French oak, and is rarely racked until bottling, represents an extraordinary expression of Barossa Shiraz. The intense 1999, released in 2004, demonstrates that this vintage is somewhat underrated after all the hype over 1998. From a vineyard planted in 1910, its inky/purple color is accompanied by aromas of lavender, lard, smoke, licorice, blackberries, cassis, espresso roast, chocolate, and pepper. Full-bodied, slightly less voluminous than the perfect 1998, with an unctuous texture, sweet tannin, and a 70+ second finish, this magnificent, still young Shiraz should be accessible in 3-5 years, and last for two decades.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2007 $US550-975
Wine Advocate #155 October 2004

2004 Torbreck The Struie 96pts Lots 1003-1004
The 2004 The Struie is 100% Shiraz from 40-60-year old and 120-year old vineyards. Half of the fruit is from the Eden Valley and half from the Barossa, and the wine spends 18 months in French oak (20% new). An exotic bouquet of blackberries and other sweet fruits is followed by a full-bodied, powerful, rich red with great purity as well as focus, a laser-like precision, huge intensity, and a blockbuster finish that lasts nearly a minute. It will be even better with 2-3 more years of bottle age, and should last for two decades.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com December 2008 $US50-68(50)
Wine Advocate #167 October 2006

1996 Salon 97+pts Lots 1104-1115
This bottle of the 1996 Salon is like every other bottle I have had recently, which is to say tight, tight, tight. Still, this painfully unevolved, mineral-driven wine shows tons of potential in its floral, white fruits. In a recent tasting of the 1979 Champagnes, the Salon was one of the finest wines, but it needed several hours of air to open up. Although the 1996 is pure magic in a glass, it remains a wine for the exceedingly patient.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US462
Robert Parkers Italian Report May 2009

2004 Angelo Gaja Sori San Lorenzo 98pts Lots 1155-1160
The 2004 Sori San Lorenzo is a drop-dead gorgeous wine. It presents awesome balance, especially in the way it marries power with elegance. This is a remarkably refined and understated Sori San Lorenzo, with never-ending layers of dark raspberries, licorice, grilled herbs and tar that flow from its sumptuous frame. A dark, brooding beauty, it will require several additional years of bottle at a minimum, but those with the patience to wait will be amply rewarded. In most vintages I prefer the Sori Tildin, but in 2004 Sori San Lorenzo has a very slight edge over its sibling. It may very well be the finest Sori San Lorenzo since the legendary 1971. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029. Angelo Gaja and long-time oenologist Guido Rivella produced some of the most monumental wines of their long, storied partnership in 2004. Although I admire Gaja’s wines, especially for their consistency, I rarely find them this emotionally moving and utterly profound. The stable weather and cool, tempering evenings towards the end of the growing season allowed Gaja and Rivella to harvest fairly late in 2004. I remember passing by Gaja’s Barbaresco vineyards in October of that year and seeing fruit still waiting to be picked long after most producers had already brought the fruit in. Gaja’s 2004s from Barbaresco are especially breathtaking for their clarity and precision. The wines also seem less internationally-styled than in the past. Readers fortunate enough to possess the means to acquire these wines won’t want to miss them! The 2003s from the Barolo zones of La Morra and Serralunga are also strong efforts considering the vintage. “Historically in Piedmont there has been an inverse relationship between quality and quantity. Great vintages like 1961 and 1989 were characterized by low yields,” says Gaja. “2004 is one of those rare vintages like 1964 and 1990 where quality is high even though yields were generous as well. I think 2004 is a very elegant vintage. It is much easier to achieve opulence in the wines, but finesse is always much more elusive.”
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US482
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #173 October 2007

2004 Angelo Gaja Sori Tildin 97pts
Gaja’s 2004 Sori Tildin floats on the palate. It is the most nuanced of these single-vineyard offerings, with gorgeous notes of tar, smoke, roses, violets, sweet toasted oak and earthiness that emerge from the glass in a counterpoint of sublime elegance and stunning purity. It possesses superb length and elegant, silky tannins to round out the finish. This extraordinary Sori Tildin will require at least a few years of bottle age, but it is destined to be one of the vintage’s legendary wines. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Angelo Gaja and long-time oenologist Guido Rivella produced some of the most monumental wines of their long, storied partnership in 2004. Although I admire Gaja’s wines, especially for their consistency, I rarely find them this emotionally moving and utterly profound. The stable weather and cool, tempering evenings towards the end of the growing season allowed Gaja and Rivella to harvest fairly late in 2004. I remember passing by Gaja’s Barbaresco vineyards in October of that year and seeing fruit still waiting to be picked long after most producers had already brought the fruit in. Gaja’s 2004s from Barbaresco are especially breathtaking for their clarity and precision. The wines also seem less internationally-styled than in the past. Readers fortunate enough to possess the means to acquire these wines won’t want to miss them! The 2003s from the Barolo zones of La Morra and Serralunga are also strong efforts considering the vintage. “Historically in Piedmont there has been an inverse relationship between quality and quantity. Great vintages like 1961 and 1989 were characterized by low yields,” says Gaja. “2004 is one of those rare vintages like 1964 and 1990 where quality is high even though yields were generous as well. I think 2004 is a very elegant vintage. It is much easier to achieve opulence in the wines, but finesse is always much more elusive.”
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US534
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #173 October 2007

2005 Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon 98+pts Lot 1165
The biggest production cuvee, the 2005 Ermitage Le Pavillon (1,067 cases in this vintage) has a dense purple color, the classic acacia flower, graphite-based, smoky creme de cassis nose with a tremendous intensity and a full-bodied power and richness that is awesome. These are monumental wines, and when you think that this wine, much like most of its siblings, is made from yields of 12-18 hectoliters per hectare, the explanation for its concentration and extraordinary expression of terroir is obvious.With twenty vintages under his belt, Michel Chapoutier and his impressive winemaking staff go from strength to strength. These are among the world’s greatest wines, especially the single vineyard wines, many of which will last 50 or more years.The 2006 reds from Chapoutier display good acidity and freshness. If they lack the powerful tannic structures of the 2005s, and perhaps some of that vintage’s density, they are certainly not light wines. It is a vintage of finesse and concentration, but with considerable up-front charm. Again, 1991 is a useful historic reference. They are the perfect foil for those buying 2005s, which will require deferred gratification. The single-vineyard, or as Chapoutier calls them, the “Selections Parcellaires” wines, are all aged in small barrels, often 100% new oak, and bottled with neither fining nor filtration. Production is relatively small, with the tiniest cuvee, the Crozes-Hermitage Les Varonnieres usually 200-325 cases, and the rest of the single-vineyard wines averaging around 480-625 cases. The largest is usually the St.-Joseph Les Granits or the Ermitage Le Pavillon, which can be as high as 1,000 or so cases in an abundant vintage. Again, the 2005s all exhibit the vintage’s density, tannic structure, and long-term aging potential. At the same time, the 2006s at Chapoutier remind me of 1991, initially an underrated vintage of wines with ideal balance. If they lack the pure power and structure of 2005, they are well-served by their purity and equilibrium. There are four single-vineyard cuvees of Ermitage. Production is small, running from about 275-300 cases of Les Greffieux, 480-500 of Le Meal, 800-1,100 for Le Pavillon, and 200-600 for L’Ermite
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US450
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #175 February 2008

2006 Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon 97pts Lot 1166
There are nearly 1,200 cases of the 2006 Ermitage Le Pavillon. Since Michel Chapoutier released his first full vintage, 1989, of this single vineyard Hermitage, it has been one of the great wines of both France and the world. The 1989 and 1990 remain very young wines (I had them over the holiday break and was amazed by their still youthful personalities.). The inky/purple-hued 2006 exhibits a gorgeous perfume of crushed rocks, white flowers, creme de cassis, blackberries, graphite, and a subtle touch of oak. Exceptionally full-bodied, multilayered in concentration, extraordinarily pure, and long, this is a prodigious young Hermitage that should be at its finest between 2018-2050+. While Michel Chapoutier produces some of the world’s greatest wines from single parcels of old vines spread throughout the northern and southern Rhone (see my ecstatic reviews of his 2007 and 2006 Chateauneuf du Papes in issue #179), he also has an impressive portfolio of value-priced wines that are often over-looked when this impressive producer is discussed. Following are some top-notch picks that all sell for exceptionally fair prices. Chapoutier has not achieved as great as success in Cornas as he has in the other northern Rhone appellations, although his Cornas wines get better with each vintage. There are four extraordinary single vineyard white wines, all of which are among the greatest dry white wines of the world. While all of them can be drunk young, they are meant for extended cellaring. Made from very small yields, they represent the essence of a varietal as well as a vineyard site. As the following notes demonstrate, 2006 was one of the greatest vintages for white wines at Chapoutier. The single vineyard selection parcellaire red wines range in production from 500 to nearly 1,000 cases. 2007 is a very good vintage for these selections, but 2006 has an edge. It is reminiscent of 1996 because of the wines’ freshness and acid levels, but Chapoutier’s 2006s are even more concentrated than his 1996s. Chapoutier’s four 2006 cuvees of single vineyard Hermitage are exquisite. Most of the yields were between 10 and 20 hectoliters per hectare, and the wines are extravagantly rich. The 2006 and 2007 luxury cuvees of Chateauneuf du Pape Croix des Bois and Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac were reviewed in issue #179. They are all astounding wines, especially in 2007
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US516
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #182 April 2009

2006 Chapoutier Ermitage l'Ermite 98+pts Lot 1168
There are nearly 1,000 cases of the 2006 Ermitage l’Ermite, another candidate for perfection in a few years. It boasts an inky/ruby/purple color as well as a stunning bouquet reminiscent of a grand cru Musigny from Burgundy. Spring flower, crushed rock, black raspberry, and black currant scents dominate the aromatics of this incredibly pure, full-bodied wine. With laser-like precision and enormous extract and concentration, it comes across as remarkably elegant and fresh with crystal clear focus. A beautiful tour de force from the decomposed granitic soils of this site on the top of the Hermitage mountain, this amazing wine requires a decade of cellaring, and should last for 35 years. While Michel Chapoutier produces some of the world’s greatest wines from single parcels of old vines spread throughout the northern and southern Rhone (see my ecstatic reviews of his 2007 and 2006 Chateauneuf du Papes in issue #179), he also has an impressive portfolio of value-priced wines that are often over-looked when this impressive producer is discussed. Following are some top-notch picks that all sell for exceptionally fair prices. Chapoutier has not achieved as great as success in Cornas as he has in the other northern Rhone appellations, although his Cornas wines get better with each vintage. There are four extraordinary single vineyard white wines, all of which are among the greatest dry white wines of the world. While all of them can be drunk young, they are meant for extended cellaring. Made from very small yields, they represent the essence of a varietal as well as a vineyard site. As the following notes demonstrate, 2006 was one of the greatest vintages for white wines at Chapoutier. The single vineyard selection parcellaire red wines range in production from 500 to nearly 1,000 cases. 2007 is a very good vintage for these selections, but 2006 has an edge. It is reminiscent of 1996 because of the wines’ freshness and acid levels, but Chapoutier’s 2006s are even more concentrated than his 1996s. Chapoutier’s four 2006 cuvees of single vineyard Hermitage are exquisite. Most of the yields were between 10 and 20 hectoliters per hectare, and the wines are extravagantly rich. The 2006 and 2007 luxury cuvees of Chateauneuf du Pape Croix des Bois and Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac were reviewed in issue #179. They are all astounding wines, especially in 2007
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US632
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #182 April 2009

2005 Chapoutier Ermitage le Meal 96pts Lot 1169
There are 481 cases of the black/purple 2005 Ermitage Le Meal. As always, classic blackberry, asphalt, charcoal, and beef blood notes jump from the glass of this intense wine. Full-bodied, with staggering concentration and a personality not terribly dissimilar from a first-growth Pauillac, but showing no evidence of oak whatsoever (and that is in spite of being aged in 100% new oak casks), this wine needs 10-12 years of bottle age, and should keep for 50-100 years. With twenty vintages under his belt, Michel Chapoutier and his impressive winemaking staff go from strength to strength. These are among the world’s greatest wines, especially the single vineyard wines, many of which will last 50 or more years.The 2006 reds from Chapoutier display good acidity and freshness. If they lack the powerful tannic structures of the 2005s, and perhaps some of that vintage’s density, they are certainly not light wines. It is a vintage of finesse and concentration, but with considerable up-front charm. Again, 1991 is a useful historic reference. They are the perfect foil for those buying 2005s, which will require deferred gratification. The single-vineyard, or as Chapoutier calls them, the “Selections Parcellaires” wines, are all aged in small barrels, often 100% new oak, and bottled with neither fining nor filtration. Production is relatively small, with the tiniest cuvee, the Crozes-Hermitage Les Varonnieres usually 200-325 cases, and the rest of the single-vineyard wines averaging around 480-625 cases. The largest is usually the St.-Joseph Les Granits or the Ermitage Le Pavillon, which can be as high as 1,000 or so cases in an abundant vintage. Again, the 2005s all exhibit the vintage’s density, tannic structure, and long-term aging potential. At the same time, the 2006s at Chapoutier remind me of 1991, initially an underrated vintage of wines with ideal balance. If they lack the pure power and structure of 2005, they are well-served by their purity and equilibrium. There are four single-vineyard cuvees of Ermitage. Production is small, running from about 275-300 cases of Les Greffieux, 480-500 of Le Meal, 800-1,100 for Le Pavillon, and 200-600 for L’Ermite
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US589
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #175 February 2008

2006 Chapoutier Ermitage les Greffieux 96-100pts Lot 1171
The best example of this vineyard Michel Chapoutier has yet made is the 2006 Ermitage Les Greffieux. A candidate for perfection, the wine boasts an extraordinary perfume of acacia flowers, black truffle, blueberry and blackberry liqueur in an opulent, fleshy, 1991-ish style. This wine has sweet tannin, fabulous concentration, and a finish that goes on for over a minute. This is a tour de force. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040. With twenty vintages under his belt, Michel Chapoutier and his impressive winemaking staff go from strength to strength. These are among the world’s greatest wines, especially the single vineyard wines, many of which will last 50 or more years.The 2006 reds from Chapoutier display good acidity and freshness. If they lack the powerful tannic structures of the 2005s, and perhaps some of that vintage’s density, they are certainly not light wines. It is a vintage of finesse and concentration, but with considerable up-front charm. Again, 1991 is a useful historic reference. They are the perfect foil for those buying 2005s, which will require deferred gratification. The single-vineyard, or as Chapoutier calls them, the “Selections Parcellaires” wines, are all aged in small barrels, often 100% new oak, and bottled with neither fining nor filtration. Production is relatively small, with the tiniest cuvee, the Crozes-Hermitage Les Varonnieres usually 200-325 cases, and the rest of the single-vineyard wines averaging around 480-625 cases. The largest is usually the St.-Joseph Les Granits or the Ermitage Le Pavillon, which can be as high as 1,000 or so cases in an abundant vintage. Again, the 2005s all exhibit the vintage’s density, tannic structure, and long-term aging potential. At the same time, the 2006s at Chapoutier remind me of 1991, initially an underrated vintage of wines with ideal balance. If they lack the pure power and structure of 2005, they are well-served by their purity and equilibrium. There are four single-vineyard cuvees of Ermitage. Production is small, running from about 275-300 cases of Les Greffieux, 480-500 of Le Meal, 800-1,100 for Le Pavillon, and 200-600 for L’Ermite
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US389
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #175 February 2008

2004 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin 96-98pts Lots 1174-1179
It is only made in the top vintages, but the very limited cuvee of 500 or so cases of Hommage a Jacques Perrin, which is a wine with 60% Mourvedre and the rest the other permitted varietals, primarily Grenache, Syrah, Counoise, and some Vaccarese, was produced in both 2005 and 2004. The 2004 is potentially one of the legendary Jacques Perrin cuvees since the debut vintage of 1989. The potentially perfect 2004 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin has turned out to be just an amazing wine and one of the profound examples of this cuvee the Perrins have produced. It certainly has all the power, density, and richness of the great years, but there is almost a surreal elegance and lightness for a wine this powerful and dense. Almost difficult to describe, the gorgeous multi-layered texture, and the heavenly perfume of smoked meats, flowers, blueberries, blackberries, creosote, and truffles is a knock-out. In the mouth, it is medium to full-bodied with incredible intensity, purity, and overall symmetry. There’s nothing out of place in this remarkable wine, and it seems somewhat approachable already, yet it will no doubt have the uncanny ability to age for 25-40+ years.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US500
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #163 February 2006

2003 Ducru Beaucaillou 96pts Lots 1315-1316
One of the most compelling Ducru Beaucaillou’s made in the last quarter century is the 2003 (which is also the first vintage to be packaged in an impressive heavy glass bottle with a special long cork). A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, it is a powerful, tannic, blockbuster effort revealing a liqueur of mineral-like component intermixed with creme de cassis, raspberry, and flower characteristics, and an atypically high 13.5% alcohol. Having firmed up considerably since bottling, it exhibits tremendous definition, weight, and concentration. It is a wine for patient connoisseurs. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025+. A brilliant tour de force!
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com February 2009 $US125-238
Wine Advocate #164 April 2006

1983 Chateau Margaux 96pts Lots 1391-1394
The 1983 Margaux is a breathtaking wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes achieved perfect maturity in 1983, and the result is an astonishingly rich, concentrated, atypically powerful and tannic Margaux. The color is dark ruby, the aromas exude ripe cassis fruit, violets, and vanillin oakiness, and the flavors are extremely deep and long on the palate with a clean, incredibly long finish. This full-bodied, powerful wine remains stubbornly backward and at least 5-6 years away from maturity. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2030. Last tasted 9/97
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US468-894
Bordeax book 3rd edition Jan 1998

2000 Pichon-Longueville Baron 96pts Lots
A spectacular effort, this is a profound Pichon Baron and clearly my favorite vintage of this wine since the 1989 and 1990. An inky purple color offers up notes of barbecue spices intermixed with new saddle leather, creme de cassis, melted licorice, creosote, and a hint of vanilla. The wine is full-bodied, tremendously concentrated, with sweet tannin and a seamless finish that goes on for close to one minute. This wine has great purity, tremendous texture, and fabulous upside potential. This is a prodigious 2000! Anticipated maturity: 2008-2028.
Current Release Cost www.erobertparker.com June 2009 $US114-220
Wine Advocate #146 April 2003

July 2009