Doisy Vedrines - £245                                                               

armit: 16
Jancis: 15.5
Wine Spectator: 92-95

A ripe, full style with apricot, peach and preserved lemon on the nose. On the palate, restraint and lift is shown, an elegant side to its character sitting happily with its more extroverted forward fruit. Long, lingering and finely textured, this is unctuous, delicious yet fresh and another textbook wine from this ever-reliable source. Drinking dates: 2014 - 2024+. - armit

Pale straw. Rather simple sweet aromas. And a bit of alcohol on the finish. Pear drops rather than pear juice - not a good trade. Definitely one of the less complex 2009 sweet white Bordeaux. Fades a bit fast.  15.5 - Jancis Robinson

Shows lots of lemon pie and almond spice, with hints of bitter lemon. Full-bodied, with a nutmeg and honey finish. Racy. 92-95 - James Suckling

Raymond Lafon

Jancis: 19

Very deep golden, with great tension and excitement and some green streaks, with layers of botrytis over them. Full and deep with intense botrytis. Great stuff! Unspittable, dried apricots (though so much richer than a Tokaji) and great acidity. 19 - Jancis Robinson

Rieussec

Jancis: 18
Wine Spectator: 92-95

Heavy and rich and wonderfully sumptuous. Great richness. Density and breadth. Still very chewy but there is lots here. Very rewarding. 18 - Jancis Robinson

Lemon peel and pear tart on the nose. Full-bodied and medium sweet, with good acidity, lemon meringue flavors and a spicy finish. 92-95 - James Suckling

Doisy-Daëne - £310                                 

armit: 16
Jancis: 18
Wine Spectator: 90-93
Neil Martin: 94-96

Heavy botrytis infection here, citric marmalade on the nose, lovely rich, unctuous textures and plenty of energy coursing through the wine. Volume builds on the palate showing a wine with plenty of intensity. Another excellent 09. Drink 2014-2025+ - armit

Streak of green to the pale gold. Rich, lip-smacking and satisfying on the nose. Very big and bold, like pear juice fermented by a wizard. Lovely stuff. Lots of bracing structure as well as all the richness. Very long. 18 - Jancis Robinson

'Intense aromas of dried citrus fruit and honey follow through to a full body. Medium sweet, thick and layered, with sliced cooked apple notes and a delicate spicy finish. 90-93 James Suckling

Yquem

Jancis Robinson: 19+
Wine Spectator: 97-100

Lively greenish gold. Very indulgent nose that sends a tingle down the spine. Great tang and life as well as richness. So pure and flirtatious – not one of the sweetest but beautiful balance and refreshment, without being an ‘aperitif style Sauternes’. Quite exceptionally persistent. Hints of blossom and real lift. Orange peel and real zest – great energy. Not heavy at all, This takes 2009 Sauternes to a new level. Extremely bright fruit. Long and rich. Not a fat style of Yquem. 18 - Jancis Robinson

What a fabulous wine. It's an explosion of fruit, yet it's very refined. I absolutely love the nose on this, with apricot tart, apple crumble, caramel and crème brûlée. Full-bodied, superripe and spicy, with mango, papaya, spices and sweet dried lemons. Incredibly long. It really rocks your socks off. Amazing. This could be even better than 2001. 97-100 - James Suckling

Fargues

Jancis: 17.5
Wine Spectator: 91-94

'Big and dense and gold. Sweet and coconut and sweet-shop nose. Big and rich and a little bit hot. Impressive rather than expressive. Very massive structure with a hint of oak. May well come round to something even more complex. 17 - Jancis Robinson

Pear pie and blanched almond on the nose. Full-bodied and medium sweet, with a subtle spice, honey and sliced apple character. Like sorbet. 91-94 -James Suckling

Suduiraut - £640                                       

Jancis: 18.5
Wine Spectatory: 94-97

A lovely, fresh, elegant nose, very pretty and floral in aromatics but with considerable depth. On the palate, exotic notes of candied citrus, passion fruit and ripe stonefruits emerge. Very concentrated and rich but with an excellent lifted finish and truly impressive length. 93% Sémillon: 7% Sauvignon Blanc. Drink 2014-2030+ - armit

'Big and rich and bold and overwhelming almost. A bit of spice and so much sugar! This deserves very high points for its combination of sweetness and purity. Great weight. Really very good indeed. Bravo AXA for allowing these decisions. - Jancis Robinson

Pear and lemon pie aromas and flavors. Full and powerful, with lots of sweet fruit and a long, spicy finish. Racy, layered and beautiful.  94 -97 - James Suckling