From an auction catalogue note by Serena Sutcliffe M.W., Head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department: “Created a First Growth in 1973 but considered by all to have been at the top of the pyramid throughout the 20th century. Mouton is the most opulent and exuberant of all the Firsts, a reflection of the two huge personalities that have headed the Chateau since 1920, Baron Philippe and then Baroness Philippine de Rothschild. Mouton’s cassis depths seduce everyone who loves great Bordeaux. Magnificent Mouton is a sensory experience that stays with one for life. It is a gloriously forceful, flamboyant wine, voluptuous and powerful.”

From a Skinner catalogue note by Phil Minervino: “Ever since shocking the established hierarchy and “winning” the Paris Tasting of 1976, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars has enjoyed a privileged perch. The winery makes several ultra suave, elegant cabernets. There is the flagship Cask 23 (a true “reserve” wine), two single-vineyard wines, S.L.V. and Fay, and the estate cabernet. Balance and refinement are the operative descriptors of the Stag’s Leap red wines.”

From an auction note by Serena Sutcliffe M.W., Head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department: “Chateau Margaux is the most imposing building of all the First Growths, its neo-classical elegance reflected in the sheer aristocratic bearing of the wines. The superb scent of Margaux fascinates – so alluring, so complex and so giving. The Mentzelopoulus regime wines are unerringly consistent
in quality, often topping the charts against the toughest opposition. There is weight and depth, added to the breed and class that come from this fabulous terroir. Modern
vintages are giants, brilliant creations of technical director, Paul Pontallier.”

From an auction catalogue note by Serena Sutcliffe M.W., Head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department: “Together with Ausone, Lafite’s wines age in the most ethereal way, spanning the centuries with ease. Lafite in the 1990s and into this century has benefited from the extraordinary wine-making brilliance of Charles Chevallier, who has added extra lustre to this fabulous terroir. When
serving Lafite, decant it well in advance of drinking as its bouquet amplifies to multi-faceted dimensions on contact with the air. The wines of the 1990s have great, sustained power under all the breed and scent.”

From an auction catalogue note by Serena Sutcliffe M.W., Head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department: “The power and glory of Latour are undisputed. The consistency of Latour, due to its fabulous gravel soil, great situation near the Gironde and a succession of inspired winemakers, is unrivaled. It is a wine that can start slowly and then takes off like a rocket. It is always profound with many layers of taste, a real reflection of the heart of Pauillac.”

From a Skinner catalogue note by Phil Minervino: “Chateau Montelena is one of the Napa Valley’s icon wineries. Working atop the foundation of a century-old property, the fater Jim and son Bo Barret might just have the best track record in California for longevity and quality. Fads don’t exist here, this team doesn’t need razzle-dazzle. Montelena wines are prized for their ability to improve with age—not merely endure.”

From a Skinner’s auction catalogue note: “Cos d’Estournel’s next-door-to-Pauillac-proximity belies it’s repute – the property is situated literally just above Lafite…Successive generations of the Pratts family appear as if to live and draw breath entirely to drive Cos (pronouce the “s”) to whatever heights the Pauillac trio (Latour, MOuton and Lafite) pull out.”

From a Skinner auction catalogue by Phil Minervino: “Leoville Las Cases is a St. Julien in name only — not that there is anything wrong with that. This wine is generally quite well-endowed and possessing dramatic depth. Leoville Las Cases is quite a large property on the river side of the north-south road from the city of Bordeaux. Leoville Barton and Leoville Poyferre were cleaved off at various times in history….further validation that this is a most special site (“terroir” in French).”

From a Skinner’s auction catalogue note by Phil Minervino: “The visually stunning Pichon Longueville could serve as the post-card-image one conjures up when imaging a chateau in France. A Second Growth for certain, but given Pichon’s lofty neighbors, their competitive juices must be constantly flowing. An intriguing aspect with many these older, established estates is how rigorously they embrace modernity – one could be forgiven for erroneously assuming that time has stopped inside the front door. In Pichon’s case, it was the first property to attain the ISO 14001 standard in the entire Bordeaux region!”