2000 Prieure-Lichine

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from Margaux, Bordeaux, France

Robert Parker   90

Drink 2004 - 2026

Undeniably the finest Prieure-Lichine in 30-40 years, this textured, rich, medium to full-bodied 2000 boasts a dark ruby/purple color in addition to a knock-out nose of black cherries, cassis, tobacco leaf, cocoa, and toasty oak in the background. The wine is sweet on the attack, full-bodied, and well-textured, with oodles of fruit and glycerin. This is sexy stuff that can be drunk early, but will age gracefully for 15-16 years. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2026. Bravo!

2000 Smith-Haut-Lafitte

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux, France

Robert Parker   94

Drink 2008 - 2025

A sensational effort, and undeniably the finest wine to ever emerge from this estate, the opaque purple-colored 2000 offers scents of tobacco, camphor, graphite, creme de cassis, and licorice. This full-bodied, concentrated effort possesses low acidity, a multi-layered texture, tremendous intensity of flavor, and a persistent finish with considerable ripe, well-integrated tannin. This is a brilliant example of equilibrium and finesse allied to considerable power and flavor. Kudos to the Cathiards. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025

2001 Grand-Puy-Lacoste

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

Robert Parker   88

Drink 2006 - 2014

A deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by this property's tell-tale cassis characteristics. Medium-bodied and monolithic, with fine ripeness as well as depth along with light to moderate tannin in the finish, the 2001 Grand-Puy-Lacoste should be at its peak between 2006-2014.

2002 Cos d'Estournel

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from St Estephe, Bordeaux, France

Robert Parker   93

Drink 2008 - 2020

One of the candidates for wine of the vintage, this beauty has a dense purple color to the rim and a classic, noble nose of graphite intermixed with black currant, spice box, licorice, and red and black fruits. Medium to full-bodied with exceptional precision and definition, this beautifully textured wine stands out as one of the most successful wines of this irregular vintage. A brilliant effort, it should be at its best between 2008 and 2020.

2002 Ducru Beaucaillou

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from St Julien, Bordeaux, France

Robert Parker   89

Drink 2005 - 2020

There is still a hint of dried herbs in the classy nose of red and black currants, cedar wood, and spice box. The wine has a deep ruby/purple-tinged color, excellent density, and medium body in an elegant style with a hint of road tar and sweet fruit. It should drink well young but age nicely for 12-15 years.

2002 Pontet-Canet

A Bordeaux Blend Dry Red Table wine from Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

Robert Parker   88

Drink 2011 - 2020

This wine has seemingly gone to sleep and is in a dormant, ungracious stage, exhibiting notes of green tea leaves intermixed with red and black currants in its dusty nose. A medium-bodied wine with moderately high tannin and a certain austerity, it seems to be a much less impressive effort than I thought from barrel or is it just impossibly closed? There is still substantial size and tannic clout to the wine, but the fruit seems to have gone into hiding. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2020+. As most well-informed insiders in Bordeaux know, proprietor Alfred Tesseron has been doing everything right since 1994 in order to fully develop the enormous potential of this vineyard adjacent to Mouton-Rothschild. Some serious work is done in the vineyard including de-budding, de-leafing, and crop-thinning. The harvest usually takes place in several attempts trying to maximize ripeness and there are two separate sorting tables. Yields have dropped dramatically, and of course there is a severe selection.

Value: $500

Donor: Margot & Don Farris