Chateau Teyssier
Chateau Teyssier 2001
Clive Coates, The Vine , 2002
“Good colour. Ripe, rich, concetrated nose. Fullish body. Good tannins. Good grip. Quite a concetrated wine without being too over-extracted. Spicy Merlot undertones. Good depth. Very good acidity. Balanced and stylish. Very good.”
Steven Spurrier, Decanter 2002
“Very deep, bright purple colour, very good black currant and blackberry nose with lovely fragrant fruit on the palate, smooth, well extracted and finely balanced, for the short-medium term.”
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
86 Points
“Good medium red. Red currant and tobacco on the nose. Sweet, supple and easy going, with moderately ripe flavors of cherry and coffee.
LE DOME 2001
Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, 2004
"Points: 92+ A brilliant effort (along with the 2000, one of the finest I have yet tasted from this estate), this 1,000 case blend of 75% Cabernet Franc and 25% Merlot is fashioned by Jonathan Maltus. Most of the Cabernet Franc emerges from a vineyard near Angélus. It possesses a deep ruby/purple color as well as a striking perfume of menthol, blueberries, red currants, and minerals. Elegant, concentrated, and ripe, but neither overly weighty nor excessively heady, it is a stylish Burgundian-like, vivacious St-Emilion with tremendous aromatic complexity and flavors. It should be at its finest in 2-3 years, and last for 14-15. One of The Finest Wines of the Vintage."
Stephen Tanzer's IWC, 2004
"Red-ruby. Nose dominated by smoky, nutty oak. Then broad and dry in the mouth, with considerable fat. Seems closer in style to the 2003 than to the 2002. Finishes with substantial tannins and subtle, lingering red fruit, tobacco and nutskin flavors. 90."
Stephen Tanzer, 2003
"90-91.(just fined) Good full ruby-red. Nose dominated by minerals, bitter chocolate and pungent oak. Juicy and shapely in the mouth, with a restrained sweetness; intense flavors of currant, blueberry, tobacco and minerals. This has excellent concentration and depth for the vintage, finishing with sweet tannins and noteworthy mineral persistence."
Clive Coates, The Vine June 2002
"Very good colour. Quite closed, indeed firm on the nose. But very lovely fruit. Very classy. Full body. Excellent tannins. Ripe and rich. Not a bit too oaky. Intense and harmonious. Elegant and long. Fine. From 2008."
Vinifera 2002
"This wine stands out because of its unusual percentage of Cabernet Franc: 74%. A lovely deep purple colour. The nose is very full and is enhanced by luxurious wood. It will be very interesting to see how it mellows with ageing as the structure is full, spicy and has serious complexity."
Tastings/Beverage Testing Institute, Chicago, 2002
"Saturated dark red-purple hue. Firm, pure aromas have a dark fruited, slightly smoky quality. Follows through with a concentrated and elegant dark fruit flavors with smoky and leafy notes emerging on the finish where focused, structured tannins take over. A well-structured wine with fine cellaring potential".
Justerini & Brooks, 2002
"A cepage of 74% Cabernet Franc & 16% Merlot. A complex nose with aromas of black cherries, toast, vanilla and tobacco, blackcurrants and blueberries. Very well balanced and brooding in true Dome style - this is a serious wine that is full of finesse and class, It will need time in the barrel to show its full potential, being one of the most profound and concentrated 2001's ".
Farr Vintners, 2002
"This tiny single vineyard (situated near to Angelus) produced its first vintage in 1996. The 50 year old vines produce very low yields with total production just 600 cases. 74% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot. It is elevaged in 150% new oak (ie all in new oak and then half of it is put into new new oak). As you would expect there is a strongly spicy vanilla character to it but this is balanced by the reamarkable depth and richness of fruit. Blueberries and plums and other ripe berry flavours".
Steven Spurrier, Decanter, 2002
"***** Black, purple colour, very dense, superb extraction of fruit with hints of wild raspberries and violets, very lush fruit on the palate, rich, complex and intense, with elegance and finesse at the end. A very fine, powerful yet superbly balanced wine".
CHATEAU LAFORGE
"Bought from the daughter of the blacksmith of St-Sulplice-de-Faleyrens in '98, Laforge has caused quite a stir. It consists of a big, chocolaty richness and tannic structure, yet preserving a lovely freshness. The wine gets the full avant-garde treatment - malolactic in 100 per cent oak and no fining or filtration - so if you cellar it for any length of time, look out for the deposit!"
Wines of Bordeaux - David Peppercorn – 2002
"From the same Jonathan Maltus stable as Le Dome, this is ripe, juicy and very plummy with good complexity and more mineral character than has been apparent in some previous vintages".
Robert Joseph, Wine Magazine, 2002
" Very deep velvety purple-black colour, concentrated blackcurrant and tobacco leaf nose, a gamey almost Syrah fruit with a rich Pomerol-y texture as well as a firm backbone. A very successful characterful wine".
Steven Spurrier, Decanter, 2002
"Saturated dark red-purple hue. Crisp, dark fruited aromas follow through with very fresh berryish flavors on a moderately full-bodied palate that finishes with minerally, fine-grained tannins. This looks to have great cellaring potential".
Tastings/Beverage Testing Institute, Chicago, 2002
"The three soil types of St. Emilion give this wine a balance and harmony found in few others from the appellation. A ’palate’ of St. Emilion. Wonderfully ripe juicy fruit aromas of blueberry, blackberry and tobacco, very pure and stylish. The same fruit expands and explodes on the palate, tannins are sweet and fine and sumptuous. Laforge has grown in quality and stature with the 2000 vintage and shakes off any vestiges of being a garage wine. With a production of 2000 cases however, it will not get any larger."
Justerini & Brooks, 2001
" From the same stable as Le Dôme and almost on the same level. 92% Merlot and from 3 different terroirs. Irony and yet very spicy, oriental nose. Big and chocolatey. Tannin and acidity. Mouth coating with a wonderful toasty, leathery finish. Old vines and meticulous wine-making have done it again."
Serena Sutcliffe, Decanter Magazine, April 2001
"Exceptional. 90-95. Opaque purple-red hue. Fantastically-developed sweet black fruit aromas. Concentrated and rich on the attack with a medium body and a long, smooth finish. Should be a solid mid-term cellaring candidate."
Tastings/Beverage Testing Institute, Chicago, 2001
"From three different terrroirs in Saint-Emilion: sand, gravel and clay over limestone: 5 different parcels. 92% Merlot. Good colour. Laid-back, complex, gently oaky nose. This just gets better and better. Medium-full body. Very rich and concentrated. Excellent acidity. Long and classy. Very good indeed."
Clive Coates, The Vine, 2001
"Toasty, sandalwood aromas with floral perfume. Seductive red fruit and banana, with toffeed oak. Savoury. Forward and appealing."
Wine Magazine, 2001
Clos Nordian 2002
Spurrier’s Choice, Decanter July 2003
2002 Clos Nardian was just rated – “Best Old World White – If his Cabernet Franc dominated Le Dome was Jonathan Maltus’ version of Cheval Blanc, Clos Nardian is his take on Laville Haut-Brion. With 40% each of Sauvignon and Semillon and 20% Muscadelle, this is a broad, structured, dry white, grapefruity and exotically ripe, yet controlled and balanced with a long finish”