Allen Meadows - Score: 93 (2009 Jan.)

A broad-based nose combines both upper and lower register fruit aromas, particularly blue berry as well as notes of crushed herb, violet, wet stone, anise, clove, earth and underbrush, most of which can also be found on the rich, full and very serious big-bodied and tautly muscular flavors supported by plenty of dry extract and superb length. As it usually is, this is a notably powerful wine and while it's bigger and weightier than the Amoureuses, it's naturally less fine and elegant. These two wines are qualitative equals in 2006 but their respective personalities are radically different.