Clos de l'Oratoire 2009

A silky, caressing style, with redcurrant, plum and blackberry fruit melded together and gliding over singed spice, dried star anise and fruitcake notes. Presents a light cedary backdrop on the finish. Drink now.

94 Points - Wine Spectator    This is very suave, with mocha and smoldering tobacco flavors laced with fig, plum and blackberry notes. A flash of sweet tapenade and iron helps extend the finish, which has lovely latent minerality. This shows great restraint, considering its power of fruit. Best from 2015 through 2027.

93 Points - James Suckling    Wild nose of flowers, sweet tobacco and ripe fruit, follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a juicy finish. Firm tannins, yet fresh finish. 

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate    A flamboyant St.-Emilion, this largely-Merlot blend displays notes of Christmas fruitcake, cedar wood, tobacco leaf, and loads of black currant and blackberry fruit. A showy, extravagantly concentrated, hedonistic style of St.-Emilion, with some wood smoke and roasted herbs adding nuance to the full-throttle aromatics and long, lush, silky flavors, this wine can be drunk now or cellared for up to 15+ years.