Chateau Bellevue Mondotte 2009

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The inky/blue/purple-colored 2009 Bellevue Mondotte offers aromas of creme de cassis, mulberries, licorice, white flowers, forest floor and candied cherries. Extremely thick, rich and full-bodied, it is nearly overwhelming in its textural richness, colossal concentration and mind-blowing finish that lasts nearly a minute. Undeniably massive and over-sized, but perfectly balanced, it is made for those looking for something to put away for 30-50+ years. One has to admire a proprietor who is making a wine for the history books, not for near-term gratification."

JAMES SUCKLING: " Loads of fruit with blueberries and blackberries. Cassis. Full and juicy with super fine tannins. Very flamboyant. Powerful structure. Goes on for minutes. 90% Merlot with 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Try in 2018."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Inky in color, the wine is packed and stacked with layers of dark fruits, crushed stone, licorice, coffee bean and opulent textures. Full bodied, concentrated, long, powerful and intense, the wine is not close to maturity. You should hang on to this hard to find wine for at least 7-8 years. But it is going to be worth the wait."

FALSTAFF: "Süße, stoffige Herzkirschenfrucht, zart floral, nach Veilchen, pfeffrige Würze, Edelholzanklang. Delikat. Stoffig, rund, schokoladige, feste Tannine, sehr gute Länge, mineralisch, bleibt gut haften, extraktsüßer Nachhall, Potenzial."

WINE SPECTATOR: "A very dark, almost brooding style, with loads of ganache, espresso and roasted fig aromas and flavors, backed by extra notes of black forest cake, warm currant preserves and melted black licorice. There's a gorgeous polished feel despite its heft, with a purity buried deep on the finish. Drink now through 2015. 415 cases made. — JM"

WEINWISSER: "Extrem dunkles Purpur mit lila und violetten Reflexen. Konzentriert, schwarze Kirschen, Rauch und Teernuancen, darunter Arabica-Kaffee, an einen Touriga Nacional erinnernd. Festes Fleisch, prägnantes Extrakt, man spürt deutlich die massive Konzentration des extrem niedrigen Ertrages von nur 22 hl/ha. Was soll man hier bewerten? Die Kraft (+) oder die Finessen (–)? Potenzialwertung:"