Monbousquet 2012

From the least hallowed terroir of the Perse family, the 2012 Monbousquet (a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) displays spicy vanillin and new oak, Christmas fruitcake aromas along with incense, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. It is medium-bodied, with light tannin in a very approachable style. It is certainly not the most concentrated Monbousquet ever made under the Perse regime, but it is very well-balanced and capable of hitting its prime in about 3-4 years and lasting 12-15.

Score: 90

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2015-2033 01 April 2015

Not unexpectedly, the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Cadettes (a blend of 39% Mourvedre, 35% Syrah and the rest Grenache, aged in small barrels) is a long-term proposition for Rhone wine enthusiasts. Dense bluish/purple to the rim, with notes of blueberry, black raspberry liqueur, kirsch, spice box, vanillin, graphite and licorice, the wine is extraordinarily complex, deep, full-bodied and juicy, with a sweet, luxurious mid-palate and long finish with moderately high tannin. Give this wine a good 5-6 years of cellaring, as it should age for 30-35 years. Christian Voeux, the general administrator at La Nerthe, told me that of all the wines made at the estate since 1998, this has the highest dry extract and polyphenols ever measured, even richer than their 2001 Cuvee des Cadettes.

Score: 16

Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2018-2028 26 April 2013