St Estephe. Huge colour and huge natural extraction of dense, clear Cabernet fruit, the real essence of Saint-Estephe from one of its greatest vineyards. Drink 2015-50. Decanter # web (4/11/2006) : 19/20 Maturity: 2015-2050

The 2005 Montrose is an exceptionally tannic, broodingly backward offering displaying a dense ruby/purple color along with a provocative perfume of crushed rocks, flowers, cassis, black raspberries, and blueberries. It continues to add weight and richness, good traits considering the substantial, forbiddingly high tannin levels and zesty acidity. If you are over the age of fifty, this backward, powerful wine will probably be more enjoyable to your descendants. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040+ Wine Advocate # 176 Apr 2008 Robert Parker 95 points

Fashioned from a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2005 Montrose exhibits huge tannin, powerful floral, blueberry, and cassis flavors, and more weight as well as richness than last year. While surprisingly high in alcohol (13.2%) for a Montrose, that component is nicely balanced by the high tannin and decent acidity. This blockbuster will need a decade or more of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040+. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007 Robert Parker (94-96) points

Dark and chewy and much sweeter and less rigorous than usual. Perhaps because the tannins are so exceptionally ripe. Deep and dense with very fine depth- more lift than the samples of Cos tasted, though perhaps not the sheer density and solidity. Very fine dry mouthful. Fine tannins. Quite sinewy. Very fine and the power is relatively well hidden. The infamous IPT (tannin index) was apparently even higher here than a Cos- though perhaps we don't want to get into competition in this respect. Drink 2017-30. Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com. 18.5 points

After less than persuasive performances in two potentially great years, 1989 and 1990, Mouton-Rothschild appears to have settled down, producing fine efforts in recent vintages, culminating with the enormously promising, unquestionably profound 1995. The 1993 is a beautifully made wine which could be considered a sleeper of the vintage. The wine boasts a dark purple color, followed by a sweet, pain grillee, roasted nut, and cassis-scented bouquet that is just beginning to open. In the mouth, the wine may not possess the body and volume of a vintage such as 1990 or 1989, but there is more richness of fruit, a sweet, ripe, pureness to the wine, as well as medium body and outstanding balance. This moderately tannic, well-focused, surprisingly rich 1993 is capable of 15-20 years of evolution. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2015. Readers should note that this wine comes with two labels. The original label, with its delicate yet unprovocative portrait nude of a pre-teenager by Balthus, was banned as a result of protests from America's neo-puritans. What has resulted is considerable speculation in the original label, which is selling at $50 more than the blank creamy white-colored label that is "officially" sported by those bottles of Mouton-Rothschild imported to America. Although Mouton-Rothschild can be among the most inconsistent first-growths, when this estate gets everything right, the wine can be as compelling as any produced in Bordeaux. Drink 2004 - 2015 Wine Advocate # 109; Feb 1997 Robert Parker 90 points

Like many of its peers, the 1998 has filled out spectacularly. Now in the bottle, this opaque black/purple-colored offering has increased in stature, richness, and size. A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc (57% of the production was utilized), it is an extremely powerful, super-concentrated wine offering notes of roasted espresso, creme de cassis, smoke, new saddle leather, graphite, and licorice. It is massive, with awesome concentration, mouth-searing tannin levels, and a saturated flavor profile that grips the mouth with considerable intensity. This is a 50-year Mouton, but patience will be required as it will not be close to drinkability for at least a decade. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2050. Wine Advocate # 134; Apr 2001 Robert Parker 96 points

The beautiful 1999 Mouton Rothschild may be a modern day clone of their 1962 or 1985. Its saturated ruby/purple color is followed by sumptuous aromas of cedar wood, creme de cassis, wood smoke, coffee, and dried herbs. The wine is forward, lush, and full-bodied. It is already complex as well as succulent, fleshy, and long. Tannin in the finish suggests more nuances will emerge in 4-5 years. It is a complex, classic Mouton. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2030. Wine Advocate # 140; Apr 2002 Robert Parker 93/100

Wine Advocate #158 (Apr 2005)  Robert Parker 93 points  Drink 2015-2030. Dense purple to the rim, this wine exhibits the classic cassis aroma that is so characteristic of Mouton. Medium to full-bodied, tannic, powerful, and cut somewhat from the 1988 mold, this is a backward, chewy, well-endowed Mouton-Rothschild that will require considerable patience from those who purchase it. A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the wine needs a good decade of cellaring.
 
Wine Advocate #149 (Oct 2003)  Robert Parker (94-96) points. A candidate for wine of the vintage, there are only 20,000 cases of the 2002 Mouton-Rothschild (there are 25,000 cases of the 2000). Made from low yields of 31 hectoliters per hectare, it is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. The color may be the most saturated and opaque of any Medoc Cabernet-based 2002. It is a broad-flavored offering displaying tell-tale creme de cassis intermixed with smoke, cocoa, leather, and licorice. Still excruciatingly tannic, but incredibly dense, powerful, and rich, the phenolic measurements were nearly off the charts for this full-bodied, monster-sized Mouton. Given most Moutons’ track records, I suspect the 2002 will shut down after bottling, and perhaps need a minimum of 10-15 years to re-emerge. This is unquestionably a vin de garde for long-term cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2040

Pauillac, Bordeaux, France. Wine Advocate #152 (Apr 2004)  Robert Parker (95-98) points  Drink 2012-2035. Made from low yields of 28 hectoliters per hectare, this profound blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot possesses a finished pH of 3.8, alcohol of 12.9% (nearly identical to Lafite Rothschild in that sense), and 3.5 total acidity (much higher than the other first growths). The 2003 is similar in style to Mouton’s 1982, but softer and more pliable than that wine was at the same age. The Cabernet Sauvignon harvest began on the same day it did in both 1982 and 1947 ... an interesting coincidence. Black/purple-colored to the rim, with a gorgeous nose of espresso roast intermixed with classic Mouton creme de cassis liqueur-like notes, its powerful, unctuous flavors cascade over the palate revealing tremendous intensity as well as strong tannin. This enormously endowed 2003 is still sorting itself out, but it is unquestionably one of the greatest efforts of the vintage. If my instincts are correct, it is the ripest, most flamboyant Mouton-Rothschild since the 1982.

Pessac-Leognan. Probably the greatest Pape-Clement ever made, the dense purple-colored 2005 (a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon) exhibits sumptuous notes of smoky scorched earth, graphite, melted licorice, and blackberries. Once past the exquisite perfume, the wine reveals full body, extraordinary concentration, plenty of chocolate, smoke, cassis, and blackberry flavors, and that unmistakable volcanic ash-like earthiness that comes from this appellation. The tannins are slightly sweeter than those found in most northern Medocs, but this is still a backward, large-scaled effort that requires 7-8 years of cellaring. It should last for 30-35 years. Wine Advocate # 176; Apr 2008 Robert Parker 98 Drink: 2015 - 2043

The possible perfection of this effort is not surprising given the way proprietor Bernard Magrez has been upgrading all of his estates, especially his flagship property, Pape-Clement. Over the last decade there has been a succession of brilliant wines from this terroir that is essentially sandwiched in a suburb of Bordeaux. The quintessential Pape-Clement, the 2005 is a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon cropped at 38 hectoliters per hectare. Its dense plum/purple color is followed by a seductive perfume of crushed rocks, blueberries, raspberries, cedar, graphite, licorice, and smoke. Full-bodied and layered, it possesses blockbuster richness yet an ethereal delicacy and finesse that often seem incompatible, but the fresh acids, high tannins, and marvelous extract of the 2005 Bordeaux have all come together to produce something special, but that will require patience. This wine has some of the more supple, sweeter tannins of Bordeaux, but then again, it is a Pessac-Leognan, not a Medoc, and the percentage of Merlot is high for the vintage. I would anticipate this 2005 to be approachable around 2012, and last for 30+ years. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007 Robert Parker (96-100) Drink: 2012 - 2037

St Emilion. The finest bottle I have ever tasted of the 2003 Pavie. I found this wine powerful, disjointed, and nearly over the top when it was first bottled, but it has calmed down considerably, and this bottle was pure nectar. Rich and full-bodied with superb definition and purity, but none of the so-called late harvest characteristics that have been falsely attributed to it. It's a beauty that appears to be on a much faster evolutionary track than the 2000. 99 points, Robert Parker, Hedonist Gazette February 11th 2007

This 92-acre vineyard, which enjoys an impeccable southern orientation, is composed of limestone on the upper slopes, clay and limestone in the middle, and sand and clay at the base. Proprietor Gerard Perse, who has done a brilliant job since acquiring the estate in 1998, continues to push the envelope of quality to higher and higher heights. Planted with 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the grapes receives kid glove treatment with hand-harvesting into small plastic lugs, two triage tables, and aging for 28 months in 100% new oak that is purchased in advance, then air-dried and coopered according to Perse’s specifications. In short, the man is a perfectionist, and the quality of all the estates he owns has soared dramatically.
 
The 2003 Pavie (7,080 cases; 13.5% alcohol) is closest in style to the 2000, but slightly more evolved and exotic. Its dense plum/purple color is accompanied by an extraordinary perfume of charcoal, creme de cassis, melted licorice, espresso roast, and blackberries. The wine, which hits the palate with a dramatic minerality, comes across like a hypothetical blend of limestone liqueur intermixed with black and red fruits. With massive depth, richness, and body, this tannic 2003 should be forgotten for 4-5 years, then enjoyed over the next four decades. The integration of acidity, tannin, and wood is flawless, and the wine is incredibly pure, rich, and intense.
 
Kudos to Gerard Perse, who is trying, in a more modern fashion, to recreate the glories of such ancient Bordeaux vintages as 1921, 1929, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1959, and 1961. From my perspective, he comes as close to that goal as anyone in Bordeaux. Wine Advocate #164 (Apr 2006)  Robert Parker 98 points  Drink 2010-2050. 
 
While not as massive and concentrated as the 2000, this is one of the vintage’s top efforts. A stunningly complete wine of irrefutable nobility as well as intensity, it boasts an inky/purple color along with an extraordinary perfume reminiscent of a liqueur of rocks, black cherries, creme de cassis, and flowers. Full-bodied with superb freshness, intensity, concentration, and length, this elegant offering reveals a striking minerality, which no doubt comes from the exceptional south-facing limestone and clay soils of this renowned terroir. Production will be about 7,000 cases, and the natural alcohol reached 13.5%. There are huge amounts of sweet tannin in addition to fresh acidity and a laser-like focus. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030+. Wine Advocate #158 (Apr 2005)  Robert Parker (97-100) points  Drink 2012-2030.

Superripe and almost jammy. Very New World on the nose but impressive; Bordeaux-like on the palate. Berries, raspberries and strawberries. Hint of wood. Full-bodied, with ripe and round tannins and a long finish. Chewy. Got to like this. Wine Spectator  95-100/100

St Emilion. Now that the 2005 Pavie is in the bottle, I would place it, qualitatively, a notch below the prodigious 2000, and a few notches above the blockbuster 2003. There are 7,000 cases of this 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Disregarding the blatant jealousy of his success as well as his “outsider” status, proprietor Gerard Perse has pushed the envelope of quality, fashioning first-growth quality wines from one of Bordeaux’s finest terroirs. In St.-Emilion, only Ausone can be considered to have greater potential in terms of micro-climate and terroir. Pavie’s 2005 exhibits a thick-looking purple color to the rim as well as an exquisite perfume of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, unsmoked cigar tobacco, crushed rocks, damp earth, and hints of truffles and incense. The vineyard’s limestone soils have provided massive concentration, a laser-like precision, fresh, zesty acidity, and massive tannin. Despite the wine’s enormous concentration and intensity, there is a lightness to its style. As Perse has made clear, he is trying to produce modern day versions of such great vintages as 1921, 1929, 1945, and 1947, wines that lasted 50 or more years. I do not understand why Perse receives so much criticism. In the blind tastings of each new vintage conducted by the Grand Jury European, Pavie usually wins against 100 or so other great Bordeaux. As they say, the truth is irrefutable - this is one of the world’s most outstanding wines, and the 2005 Pavie should take its place among the greatest achievements of Bordeaux in the last 50 years. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060. Wine Advocate # 176 Apr 2008 Robert Parker 98+ Drink: 2020 - 2060

Last year I was not sure whether the 2005 would turn out to be better than the 2003 or 2000, two wines that can taste perfect on any given day, especially the 2000. However, this fabulous vineyard has once again produced 7,000 cases of true elixir in 2005, and it looks like this vintage will take its place in the pantheon of monumental Pavies that have been produced since Gerard Perse gained control of this great terroir on the famed Cote Pavie, just outside the medieval village of St.-Emilion. The 2005, a final blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, enjoyed a Burgundian-like, eight day cold maceration, a six week cuvaison, and malolactic in oak. It will spend 26 months aging before being bottled. Its liquid mineral, scorched earth, blackberry, cassis liqueur, and roasted coffee characteristics are accompanied by phenomenal acidity, high tannin, and unbelievable levels of fruit and texture. One would have to go back to some of the last century’s greatest vintages to find the equal of this stunning St.-Emilion. Although not the most concentrated Bordeaux, it is unquestionably one of the most noble and potentially long-lived. Is it possible that Perse’s wines represent cleaner, more modern day versions of the 1921s, 1929s, and right bank 1947s? They are meant to be cellared for 10-15 years, and kept over the following 50 or more. The 2005 Pavie is one of his greatest achievements in terms of richness allied to phenomenal elegance and finesse. The natural alcohol came in around 14%, about the same as in 2003 and 2000. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2050+. Wine Advocate # 170 Apr 2007 Robert Parker (98-100) Drink: 2017 - 2050