($235, Ruby Wine):  Alex Gambal’s new winemaker, Geraldine Godot, has brought his red wines to a new level.  She modestly told me she didn’t make this wine.  She just “raised” it.  Well, she did an excellent job.  It has superb weight and length, befitting a grand cru, with none of the hardness or angularity that plagued some 2008 reds.  Supple tannins are seamlessly integrated into the wine.  It has amplitude and persistence.  Just when you think the finish has receded on the palate, it reappears.  It’s not a massively powerful wine, but it delivers enormous flavor.  And that’s its charm and stature. 95 Michael Apstein Oct 16, 2012