A dazzling effort, the 1998 boasts an opaque purple color in addition to an exceptional bouquet of smoke, licorice, plums, black raspberries, and blackberries. As the wine sits in the glass, coffee and chocolate also emerge. Full-bodied,... Read More
This is a Provencal, peppery, spicy, garrigue-scented wine, with extraordinary concentration, loads of glycerin, full body, yet no sense of heaviness or lack of definition. Enormously-endowed and majestic, it possesses a huge... Read More
Exploding with pure, clean and vibrant fruit intensity, this full-bodied wine coils around the palate, tightening its grip. Beautiful expression of Chardonnay, unhindered by too much oak, with lime, pear, honey, and a spicy touch... Read More
The 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is a fine wine. While it does not reveal much weight, it is a dense plum/purple-colored, big, thick, concentrated effort. Evolved aromas of smoke, cedar, tapenade, blackberries, creme... Read More
On this occasion, the 1998 Chateau Cheval Blanc could not match the stellar performance of the 1990, though it is still a great wine. It has a very pure, svelte bouquet with black cherries, camphor, creme de cassis and sage aromas.... Read More
On this occasion, the 1998 Chateau Cheval Blanc could not match the stellar performance of the 1990, though it is still a great wine. It has a very pure, svelte bouquet with black cherries, camphor, creme de cassis and sage aromas.... Read More
A blockbuster. Black in color, with extremely grapey, toasted oak and dark chocolate aromas. Full-bodied, with loads of big, velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Best Clos de L'Oratoire ever. Best after 2010. 4,000 cases... Read More
Tasted at the Château Figeac vertical at the property from magnum, the 1998 Château Figeac is one of the best wines from this era, one where I feel that this Saint Emilion lost its way a little. It has a conservative nose, at... Read More
A spectacular effort, the 1998 exhibits an opaque purple color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of overripe black cherries intermixed with blackberries, blueberries, licorice, and smoky oak. Full-bodied, low in acidity, opulent,... Read More
Tasted at the château, the 1998 Haut-Bailly is a wine that exploits what was a fine vintage in Pessac-Léognan, and appears to slowly improve with age. Having not reached adulthood yet, it has a simmering, powerful bouquet with... Read More
As reported over the last two years, this is a prodigious Haut-Brion. It exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a tight, but incredibly promising nose of smoke, earth, minerals, lead pencil, black currants, cherries,... Read More
The 1998 Hermitage is also gorgeous, yet has more concentration and depth. Described as a granite year? by Jean-Louis, this puppy has searing, liquid rock-like qualities to go with ample dark fruit, gunpowder and flint. Structured,... Read More
The Château l'Eglise-Clinet 1998 has developed an absolutely stunning bouquet: precocious, glycerin-rich red cherries, cassis, violets and minerals all beautifully defined and so intense. The palate is full-bodied with ripe... Read More
The 1998 possesses an opaque purple color as well as a firm, but promising bouquet of black fruits, crushed stones, and smoky new oak. There is plenty of depth and purity, as well as a well-delineated style in this backward, tannic,... Read More
The 1998 possesses an opaque purple color as well as a firm, but promising bouquet of black fruits, crushed stones, and smoky new oak. There is plenty of depth and purity, as well as a well-delineated style in this backward, tannic,... Read More
A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, this wine represents only 34% of Lafite's total harvest. In a less than perfect Medoc vintage, it has been spectacular since birth, putting on more weight and flesh over the... Read More
Not a blockbuster, the 1998 possesses a dark garnet/purple color in addition to a complex bouquet of underbrush, cedar, walnuts, and licorice-tinged black currants. Although medium to full-bodied and moderately tannic, it lacks... Read More
This might have a chance of hitting a magical outstanding score, as the wine still seems to be holding back much of its potential. A deep ruby/purple with a distinctive, very singular nose of wet steel, licorice, spice box, Provencal... Read More
This opaque purple-colored, muscular, full-bodied, classically made St.-Julien displays impressive concentration, chewy, highly-extracted flavors of black fruits, iron, earth, and spicy wood, and a powerful mouth-feel. A pure,... Read More
Deep red. Superripe aromas of redcurrant, cocoa powder, mint and game. Tangy, crystallized red berry flavors offer a penetrating sweetness, but firm acids are currently keeping the wine quite tight. Impeccably balanced grand cru,... Read More
Yields of 28-30 hectoliters per hectare are among the lowest in St.-Emilion, which no doubt accounts for the wine's explosive richness. The final blend, 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc, was bottled... Read More
What a great wine. Full-bodied, with crushed berry, smoke and grilled aromas, all presented quite subtly. Stands out for its natural, down-to-earth taste of clean, pure, shining fruit. A pleasure to drink. Tempting now. Best from... Read More
What a great wine. Full-bodied, with crushed berry, smoke and grilled aromas, all presented quite subtly. Stands out for its natural, down-to-earth taste of clean, pure, shining fruit. A pleasure to drink. Tempting now. Best from... Read More
A 50-year wine, this opaque purple-colored offering exhibits a strong, precise nose of black fruits, liquid minerals, smoke, and graphite. Extremely full-bodied, yet brilliantly delineated, powerful, and awesomely concentrated,... Read More
Nearly exaggerated levels of intensity, extract, and richness are apparent in this opaque blue/purple-colored wine. Sumptuous aromas of blueberries, blackberries, and cherries combine with smoke, licorice, vanillin, and truffles... Read More