Wine Spectator (95-100)

Crushed berries and intensity to this, with grapey, toasted oak and cedar notes. Big and concentrated, with chewy and firm tannins. Very long. Very tight, though, and just beginning to show its true nature. Score range: 95-100

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (87-90)

Pale, green-tinged color. Perfumed, fresh aromas of peach and flowers, with a hint of fresh herbs. Spicy, peachy and quite dry, with sound balancing acidity. A bit tart-edged today, and perhaps somewhat hardened by the gas, but nicely persistent.

Vinous (98)

Dark red. Three-dimensional aromas of dark fruits, minerals, roast coffee and musky underbrush. An extremely urgent grand cru with incredible texture and energy. Dense and almost painfully intense but utterly light on its feet for a wine of such sheer magnitude. Deeply spicy, complex and complete. Finishes with huge, broad tannins and great building persistence. A knockout, and a strong candidate for wine of the vintage.

Vinous (89)

(this and the following wines were tasted at Domaine Leroy) Excellent red-ruby color. Very ripe, musky aromas of black cherry, minerals and licorice, with tarry and medicinal nuances. Fat and full, with an almost liqueur-like sweetness along with a repeating medicinal note. Very solid wine that should show more detail with a few years in bottle. Finishes with substantial tannins and a hint of dryness.

Vinous (89)

(this and the following wines were tasted at Domaine Leroy) Excellent red-ruby color. Very ripe, musky aromas of black cherry, minerals and licorice, with tarry and medicinal nuances. Fat and full, with an almost liqueur-like sweetness along with a repeating medicinal note. Very solid wine that should show more detail with a few years in bottle. Finishes with substantial tannins and a hint of dryness.

Vinous (89)

(this and the following wines were tasted at Domaine Leroy) Excellent red-ruby color. Very ripe, musky aromas of black cherry, minerals and licorice, with tarry and medicinal nuances. Fat and full, with an almost liqueur-like sweetness along with a repeating medicinal note. Very solid wine that should show more detail with a few years in bottle. Finishes with substantial tannins and a hint of dryness.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2002 Richebourg Grand Cru must surely be Lalou Bize-Leroy's finest wine of the vintage. It has more class than the 2002 Latricières-Chambertin--pure wild strawberry and black truffle on the nose that gathers momentum with each ticking hand of the clock as if to say: You want more? Of course you do. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin. There is great depth here as one expects from a Richebourg, not a powerful grand cru because this vintage was all about the nuance and delicacy, but it fans out wondrously on the finish with crushed strawberry and hints of cured meats. Very long, very elegant, very Leroy. This is an absolute treat. Tasted January 2016.

Wine Advocate (92)

A classic second wine that shows outstanding potential, the dark ruby/purple-colored 2002 has notes of cedar wood, black currants, earth, and truffles in a medium to full-bodied, supple-textured, beautifully concentrated style that can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years.

Burghound (96)

A dazzlingly complex and pure nose reveals an incredible breadth of spice-box and dark fruit aromas that are displaying only a whisper of secondary development along with just enough wood to comment on. The ripe and seductive yet incredibly intense medium-bodied flavors display marvelous depth and perfect balance on the sappy, sweet, powerful and hugely long finish that is beautifully detailed and focused. This beauty is a model of grace and understatement and while it could be drunk now with pleasure I would advise waiting as it seems quite clear that there is still plenty of unrealized development potential. In sum, this is stunningly good.

Vinous (100)

Roederer’s 2002 Cristal, from magnum, is just off the charts. What else is there to say? The magnum format is so well-suited to Champagne. As opposed to still wines, which are just aged in glass, for Champagne, the secondary fermentation takes place in the glass. I am convinced that is a major part of what makes Champagne from magnum (or larger) often so compelling. The texture, breadth and overall pedigree here is just remarkable, with layers of apricot, spice, dried flowers and citrus confit that continue to build over time. The 2002 is neither old nor young; it is quite simply eternal. What a great way to start the night. Wow!

Vinous (100)

Roederer’s 2002 Cristal, from magnum, is just off the charts. What else is there to say? The magnum format is so well-suited to Champagne. As opposed to still wines, which are just aged in glass, for Champagne, the secondary fermentation takes place in the glass. I am convinced that is a major part of what makes Champagne from magnum (or larger) often so compelling. The texture, breadth and overall pedigree here is just remarkable, with layers of apricot, spice, dried flowers and citrus confit that continue to build over time. The 2002 is neither old nor young; it is quite simply eternal. What a great way to start the night. Wow!

The Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon Dark Jewel Brut Rose 2002 exemplifies the grandeur of the legendary Champagne house, Moet & Chandon. Crafted in the eponymous region of Champagne, France, this vintage rose bubbly is the product of rigorous selection process and the unique expression of the 2002 harvest. Utilising predominantly Pinot Noir grapes, its vibrant hue is a testament of meticulous assemblage and extended ageing in chalk cellars, embodying the audacious spirit of Dom Perignon.

Ebullient and rich, it reveals itself in waves with radiant bouquet of strawberry, fig and spices, intriguing the palate. Its immense depth, complexity and silky persistence make this stunning offering the true Dark Jewel. A culmination of careful winemaking expertise and exceptional terroirs, Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon Dark Jewel Brut Rose 2002 is an epitome of the house's enduring winemaking finesse and unassailable quality.

Jancis Robinson (18.5)

Deep crimson. Firm, strongly cassis nose. Very voluptuous texture. Appetising and beautifully balanced. Obviously Médoc. Dried out a little on the end but the contrast between the flesh of this wine and skinniness of the Margaux tasted immediately beforehand could not have been more marked. It was still fresh and clean 24 hours afterwards but had lost a little density.

Jancis Robinson (18.5)

Deep crimson. Firm, strongly cassis nose. Very voluptuous texture. Appetising and beautifully balanced. Obviously Médoc. Dried out a little on the end but the contrast between the flesh of this wine and skinniness of the Margaux tasted immediately beforehand could not have been more marked. It was still fresh and clean 24 hours afterwards but had lost a little density.

Experience a sip of history with the Oliver's Taranga Mclaren Vale Estate Shiraz 2002. A true expression of the terroir, this wine comes from Oliver's Taranga, an esteemed venue nestled in South Australia's McLaren Vale, lauded for its superior viticulture since the 19th century. The wine is produced from 100-year-old Shiraz vines, meticulously hand-picked and fermented in traditional open-top fermenters. The result is an intricate tapestry of flavours, marked by luscious blackberry and cassis notes, subtly layered with spicy accents of anise and toasted oak.

Savour the depth and complexity of this wine, matured for 18 months in French oak hogsheads, translating into velvety tannins and a lingering finish. The 2002 vintage is recognised for the perfect balance of richness and acidity, leading to an elegant structure and remarkable ageing potential. This exceptional Shiraz truly personifies the Oliver's Taranga Mclaren Vale Estate's ongoing commitment to quality and tradition.

Wine Advocate (87)

Not nearly as concentrated, although elegant, in a much lighter style than the 2003, with notes of cedar, herbs, red and black currants as well as licorice, this is a medium-bodied, more streamlined and austere Pavillon Rouge to drink over the next decade.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Very rich and long and gorgeous. Spicy and long - really gorgeous. OK, a bit inky, but with such energy! It seems as though I somehow did not manage to taste this en primeur so this is my first tasting note on this impressive wine. No problem with excessive acidity here.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Very rich and long and gorgeous. Spicy and long - really gorgeous. OK, a bit inky, but with such energy! It seems as though I somehow did not manage to taste this en primeur so this is my first tasting note on this impressive wine. No problem with excessive acidity here.

James Suckling (97)

This is a deep and profound 2002 with such fine bubbles that have the texture of fine silk. Full body. Extremely dense and compact. Just rolls over your palate. Superb quality and satisfaction, after all this time. Drink now.

Vinous (93)

Pure, scented aromas of lime and mint. Chewy, sweet and superrich, with very intense lime and floral flavors framed by vibrant acidity. Boasts a wonderfully fine texture and very firm structure for aging. Powerful but also very classy wine, with terrific inner-mouth energy and superb length for a premier cru.

Vinous (96)

Another strong showing for the 2002 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru from the late Philippe Engel. The nose is ethereal, offering raspberry and crushed strawberry scents, and the palate is extraordinary in terms of focus. The finish oddly reminds me of Engel's Grands Echézeaux. Magnificent. Tasted at Noizé restaurant in London.

Decanter (100)

An almost ideal growing season with no periods of extreme weather, ending with a cool but sunny September. Harvest began on 16 September. The very classy nose has a mineral-infused character underlying its spicy, floral scents. This Salon has the power to be long-lived and the freshness and vivacity to be already enjoyable, but also to be an ideal companion for a gastronomic meal. Perfection.

Wine Advocate (97+)

Beautiful floral notes intermixed with creme de cassis, licorice and charcoal jump from the glass of this dense purple-colored 2002. Opulent, broad, full-bodied and more mature than I expected given how this wine showed in its youth, this deep, rich Cabernet Sauvignon is exceptional. However, in this vintage it has to take a back seat to a number of other cuvees. The final blend was 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

Vinous (94+)

(14.9% alcohol): Good dark red. Perfumed, liqueur-like aromas of black plum, dark berries, licorice and cocoa powder. Dense, thick and very ripe but still a bit youthfully brooding; shows the darkest fruit character to this point in the tasting. This extremely dense, thick, youthfully brooding Cabernet finishes with serious ripe tannins and good medicinal reserve. If the 2001 is claret-like in the context of this bottling, then the 2002 is classic liqueur-like Napa Cabernet, even if it's in a bit of a shell today. Less detailed today than the 2001 but I'd love to try these wines side by side again in six or seven years.

Wine Advocate (99)

Remarkably, the 2002 The Factor may be even more awesome than the 2001. It boasts a blackberry liqueur-like intensity with chocolatey richness intermixed with blackberries, raspberries, and cherries. The unctuous texture, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannin frame-up this magnificent wine. It should drink well for 15+ years. Interestingly, the 2002 The Factor did not have the Cote Rotie-like roasted element found in the 2001, no doubt because 2002 was a much cooler growing year than the record heat experienced in 2001.