Tasting note

Medium red. Musky redcurrant, strawberry, dried plum and woodsmoke on the nose. Supple red fruit and spice flavors display a liqueur-like thickness of fruit and a pliant texture. Not quite as impressively on the slightly edgy, moderately persistent back end. (Gaunoux releases his wines later than most, and 2009 is the most recent vintage in the U.S. market. Unfortunately, my bottle of the 2009 Rugiens Les Rugiens was corked and the 2001 Rugiens, also currently in the marketplace(!), was tired and losing its fruit.)

Score: 89

Stephen Tanzer, Vinous.com, March 2013