"Classic aromas of cassis, minerals, licorice, violet and dark chocolate, with Taransaud barrels contributing sex appeal. Plush and seamless but still youthfully unevolved, with the black raspberry and dark chocolate flavors showing lively mineral lift. Finishes tannic and very long but seriously clenched, in need of substantial cellaring. Boasts excellent energy; Nicault noted that nothing was acidified here in 2012. - Stephen Tanzer."
- Vinous (November 2015), 92+ pts
"2012 Long Shadows 'Pirouette' is a red blend comprised of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot and 7% Cabernet Franc. Esteemed winemakers Agustin Huneeus and Philippe Melka have teamed up to make this stunning wine. The nose possesses striking aromas of ripe blackberry, black cherry and anise. Everything follows through to a gorgeous velvety texture with blackberry, red cherry, raspberries and dill notes. Today, this is so delicious and open, it will be hard to cellar this. (Best 2015-2022) - OB."
- International Wine Report (July 2015), 93 pts
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2016), 93 pts
"Philippe Melka’s 2013 Pirouette is no slouch and offers serious amounts of ripe black cherry fruits, graphite, hints of chocolate and plenty of sweet oak in a beautifully concentrated, ripe, textured package. Made from 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc (mostly from Red Mountain) that spent 22 months in 75% new French oak, give bottle 3-5 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following decade or more."
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #225, June 2016), 93 pts
"Made by Philippe Melka, the 2014 Pirouette checks in as a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 17% Merlot, 7% Cab Franc and a splash of Malbec. This inky colored beauty gives up tons of graphite, toasted spice, dried herbs and chocolatey dark fruit, full-bodied richness, building, ripe tannin and a great finish. It’s another killer wine from this estate, and possibly the best to date. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #231, June 2017), 94+ pts
"This offers a fresh array of ripe red fruit with a smooth and juicy delivery of tannin that is framed in glossy oak spice. All modern and supple here and an easygoing finish. A blend of 68% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 8% petit verdot, 6% cabernet franc and 2% malbec. Drink now."
- James Suckling (July 2019), 90 pts
"Dark red-ruby. More precise on the nose than the Pedestal Merlot, offering aromas of black cherry, menthol and bitter chocolate. Then wonderfully silky and dense in the mouth, combining superb concentration and a subtle sweetness to its flavors of black raspberry, licorice, bitter chocolate and sexy oak. Fully ripe but also nicely delineated. Finishes very long and classically dry, with serious but smooth tongue-saturating tannins and resounding fruit. Gilles Nicault told me that winemaker Philippe Melka rotates the barrels during the vinification, instead of punching down or pumping over. (15.1% alcohol; the Cabernet Sauvignon from Red Mountain was fermented in 400-liter barrels made by Baron, 22% new; the blend was then aged in 75% new oak for 22 months; 3.85 pH) - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2019), 93 pts
