The Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux 2002 is a distinguished vintage that mirrors the fine traditional offering of the Loire Valley. Hailing from Clos Rougeard, one of France's best-kept viticultural secrets, Les Poyeux 2002 displays singular notes inherent to Cabernet Franc grapes.

This radiant red wine bears the mark of precise craftsmanship. The Foucault brothers, whom Decanter magazine deemed as 'the greatest winemakers in the world', oversee the organic cultivation, hand-harvesting, and indigenous yeasts fermentation, done in oak barrels. The embodiment of meticulous viniculture, its 12-month maturation in old French oak barrels notably omits sulphur dioxide.

A sip of Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux 2002 takes one on a pleasant journey of balanced black fruit flavours and refined tannins, leading to a lengthy finish. As an emblem of 'Pure Réalité', its luxurious character fits seamlessly with gastronomic encounters.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (95)

Bright ruby-red. Captivating aromas of black raspberry, blueberry, minerals, violet and blood orange. Silky-sweet, dense and thick, with sexy oak tones and compelling sugar/acid snap. Here the tannins are thoroughly buffered by the wine's strong material, with powerful minerality contributing to the impression of structure. In the past few vintages, Millet has taken the estate's Bonnes-Mares to another level.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (95)

(a blend of 58% cabernet sauvignon, 38% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot; aging in 80% new oak) Bright ruby. Pure, precise aromas of cassis, minerals, violet and fresh herbs, with an exotic note of curry that Prats says is from very ripe cabernet sauvignon. Wonderfully sweet and dense, with urgent fruit showing strong tobacco and spice notes and an almost exotic ripeness. But this has the fresh acidity to buffer its high sugars. A wine of great aromatic depth and verve, finishing with firm, thoroughly ripe tannins and superb persistence. Like so many 2002s, this is not yet showing much evidence of new oak. A potentially great vintage for this chateau.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90-92)

Saturated ruby-red. Crystallized dark berries, licorice, violet and a hint of game on the nose. Dense and thick but bright, with lively, cabernet-driven flavors of crushed dark berries, licorice, tobacco leaf, fresh herbs and earth. Offers unusually full volume for Armailhac, with lots of stuffing to buffer its firm spine of acids and sweet tannins. A superb vintage for this wine.

Wine Advocate (100)

As stunning as this basic Cabernet Sauvignon is, the 2002 Maya, a proprietary blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Cabernet Franc, is pure perfection. It boasts an inky purple color as well as an extraordinary perfume of incense, black fruits, charcoal and forest floor. Full-bodied, with monumental intensity, a multidimensional texture/mouthfeel, and a stunning finish, this beauty reveals the brilliant quality of the Dalla Valle Cabernet Franc plantings meshed with their powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040+.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (85-88)

Red-ruby. Very sweet, exotic aromas of red berry liqueur and licorice. Nicely concentrated, sweet and fruit-driven, with a creamy middle and a faint jammy, even cooked fruit character. Fat and mouthfilling. Finishes with big, dusty tannins.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (92-95)

(70% whole-cluster fermentation) Brilliant red-ruby. Initially reserved, pure nose exploded with aeration to reveal black raspberry, spices and minerals. Succulent, sharply delineated and solidly structured, with highly complex flavors of red fruits, wild herbs, flowers, smoke and earth. Finishes with very fine tannins and superb length and class. Here one senses a full expression of this vineyard's terroir

Matured within the esteemed Maison De Venoge's centuries-old wine cellars in the heart of Champagne, France, comes the exquisite De Venoge Cordon Bleu Brut 2002. As a highly respected blend of 50% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, and 25% Pinot Meunier grapes, it showcases the superior craftsmanship of De Venoge's winemakers. Each grape is meticulously selected from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards within the Montagne de Reims and Côtes de Blancs regions, thus guaranteeing exceptional quality.

The De Venoge Cordon Bleu Brut 2002 unveils an aromatic symphony of honeyed apricot and brioche, harmonized with a sublime buttery character. The palette is further tantalised with nuances of fresh almonds and pear, elevating the complexity of this divine vintage. A captivating cascade of finely tuned bubbles and luminous golden hues, it elegantly embodies the timeless sophistication of De Venoge's Champagne legacy.

Vinous (98)

The 2002 Dom Pérignon is unforgettable. Rich, sumptuous and flamboyant to the core, the 2002 captures all of the radiance of a year in which ripeness in the Chardonnays was pushed to the edge. The 2002 is oily and viscous on the palate, with tremendous textural resonance in all of its dimensions. Tropical fruit, pastry and exotic floral notes all build as the 2002 opens up with air. I can still remember the first time I tasted the 2002, here in the Hautvillers cloister, with former Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy. It was thrilling back then, and is every bit as memorable today.

Vinous (98)

The 2002 Dom Pérignon is unforgettable. Rich, sumptuous and flamboyant to the core, the 2002 captures all of the radiance of a year in which ripeness in the Chardonnays was pushed to the edge. The 2002 is oily and viscous on the palate, with tremendous textural resonance in all of its dimensions. Tropical fruit, pastry and exotic floral notes all build as the 2002 opens up with air. I can still remember the first time I tasted the 2002, here in the Hautvillers cloister, with former Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy. It was thrilling back then, and is every bit as memorable today.

Wine Advocate - Robert Parker (96)

The 2002 Dom Perignon is at first intensely floral, with perfumed jasmine that dominates the bouquet. With time in the glass the wine gains richness as the flavors turn decidedly riper and almost tropical. Apricots, passion fruit and peaches emerge from this flashy, opulent Dom Perignon. The wine's volume makes it approachable today, but readers in search of more complexity will want to cellar this for at least a few years to allow for some of the baby fat to drop off.

Decanter (99)

And so from P1 methuselah to P2, which for Geoffroy ‘goes beyond Champagne’. P2, he continues, must be ‘deeper, richer, longer…better than P1' - otherwise why release it? Well, they haven't yet, although it's pencilled in for later in 2019. Here we have drive, vinosity and incredible length. The sweet and savoury balance indulges with a seductive embrace. Gustav Klimt in a glass maybe. Outstanding.

Decanter (99)

And so from P1 methuselah to P2, which for Geoffroy ‘goes beyond Champagne’. P2, he continues, must be ‘deeper, richer, longer…better than P1' - otherwise why release it? Well, they haven't yet, although it's pencilled in for later in 2019. Here we have drive, vinosity and incredible length. The sweet and savoury balance indulges with a seductive embrace. Gustav Klimt in a glass maybe. Outstanding.

Decanter (99)

And so from P1 methuselah to P2, which for Geoffroy ‘goes beyond Champagne’. P2, he continues, must be ‘deeper, richer, longer…better than P1' - otherwise why release it? Well, they haven't yet, although it's pencilled in for later in 2019. Here we have drive, vinosity and incredible length. The sweet and savoury balance indulges with a seductive embrace. Gustav Klimt in a glass maybe. Outstanding.

Decanter (99)

And so from P1 methuselah to P2, which for Geoffroy ‘goes beyond Champagne’. P2, he continues, must be ‘deeper, richer, longer…better than P1' - otherwise why release it? Well, they haven't yet, although it's pencilled in for later in 2019. Here we have drive, vinosity and incredible length. The sweet and savoury balance indulges with a seductive embrace. Gustav Klimt in a glass maybe. Outstanding.

Jancis Robinson (20)

Magnum. Pungent and composed with massive energy. Lovely edge of freshness. Long and nuanced. So clean and pure. Long and lovely!

Jancis Robinson (20)

Magnum. Pungent and composed with massive energy. Lovely edge of freshness. Long and nuanced. So clean and pure. Long and lovely!

Vinous (93)

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's 2002 Echézeaux came across as quite powerful, rich and deep, with sweet tannins and layers of round, generous fruit.

Vinous (93)

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti's 2002 Echézeaux came across as quite powerful, rich and deep, with sweet tannins and layers of round, generous fruit.

Vinous (95)

The 2002 Grands-Echézeaux was more aromatic, higher-toned and feminine in its personality. It, too, was quite pretty.

Vinous (95)

The 2002 Grands-Echézeaux was more aromatic, higher-toned and feminine in its personality. It, too, was quite pretty.

Burghound (97)

Like many 2002s at five years of age, this is really beginning to close up and become a good deal less expressive. Vigorous swirling however coaxes a superbly detailed if reluctant nose of dried rose petals, kirsch and plenty of spice elements. The medium weight plus flavors are taut, focused, very backward, powerful and punchy and like the nose, blessed with seriously impressive detail and layer after layer of sappy extract and incredible depth. Impeccably balanced with a certain tenderness here with tannins that are sophisticated and quite fine with the classic Romanée-Conti character of an almost spiritual sense of harmony. Though it will need a lot of time, this will become a great vintage for Romanée-Conti.

Vinous (89)

(a blend from the second harvest of the estate's various vineyards; Villaine noted that the '99 version of this wine did not include the second harvest from Romanee-Conti) Good full red. Fruit-driven aromas of plum and spice. Perfumed and sweet in the mouth, with an enticing spiciness but without quite the fine grain and density of texture of the estate's other wines. With a bit less volume, this conveys an impression of stronger acidity, even if the numbers don't show it.

Vinous (96)

Dark red. Roasted aromas of black and red fruits, minerals and cocoa powder. Then almost magically vibrant and detailed for such a ripe wine, with superb inner-mouth energy and suave texture. Extremely fine-grained but solidly structured wine, finishing with noble tannins, palate-coating flavor and great clarity. Lalou Bize considers this classier than the 1999 version.

Vinous (93+)

Red-ruby. Raspberry, dark chocolate and minerals, with a slightly grilled quality; like a more intense, urgent version of the Genaivrieres. Very ripe but closed in the mouth, with a superb sappy sweetness and a hint of marzipan. Offers impressive fat and texture, with harmonious framing acidity. Finishes very long, with firm but suave tannins and lingering notes of spices and minerals.