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The other wine of the vintage. Seriously powerful with fabulous color and mint, cassis and berry aromas and flavors. Has a full body and is tannic; still needs time to come around. Better after 1997.--The Bordeaux 50.Wine Spectator | 95 WSIn weight and texture, the 1981 Margaux is closest in style to the 1979. It is an outstanding wine, even in the company of the monumental wines of 1982, 1983, and 1986, although it does not have the power and weight of these vintages. It is still very dark ruby/purple-colored. The aromatics suggest ripe cassis fruit, spicy vanillin oakiness, and violets. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, concentrated, tannic, and extremely long. It is just beginning to open and evolve. Anticipated maturity: Now-2015. Last tasted, 12/96.Robert Parker | 91 RP

The wine of the vintage and one of the greatest Haut-Brions ever made. Superpowerful and ripe, with masses of spice, mint and berry character. Full-bodied, with full yet polished tannins, this wine is a joy to taste and will be for decades.--1988 Bordeaux horizontal.Wine Spectator | 98 WSA more firmly structured Haut-Brion, built somewhat along the lines of the 1996, this dark garnet-colored wine is showing notes of licorice, underbrush, compost, truffles, dried herbs, creosote, and sweet black cherries and currants. Medium-bodied, rich, but still structured, this wine unfolds incrementally on the palate, showing superb density and a lot of complex Graves elements. It is just beginning to hit its plateau of full maturity. Anticipated maturity: Now-2025. Last tasted, 11/02.Robert Parker | 92 RPThe 1988 Haut Brion is another vintage that I have not seen for a number of years. It has a light, maybe slight smudged nose that is quite leafy in style, autumnal, hints of bay leaf and a light marine influence developing but never quite delivering the vigor of its sibling, the 1988 La Mission Haut-Brion. The palate is medium-bodied with dry tannin on the entry, a fine thread of acidity, but I would argue this is too simple for a First Growth in a decent vintage like this, does not engage or charm like the 1985 or 1986. Of course, matter would be redressed by the legendary 1989 Haut-Brion. The 1988? It is more like a footnote to Jean-Bernard Delmas’s crowning glory that arrived 12 months later. Tasted at the château.Vinous Media | 90 VM

A fabulous example of l’Evangile at its best. Dense ruby/purple with some amber at the edge, this wine has a gorgeous nose of black truffles intermixed with caramel, malt chocolate, sweet black raspberries, and blackberries. The wine is full-bodied, with loads of glycerin giving it a very opulent, almost viscous feel on the palate. It still tastes youthful, but has always been accessible throughout its entire life. The wine does have plenty of tannin, but most of it is concealed by the wealth of fruit extract and the wine’s viscosity. It is a sensational l’Evangile that is just beginning to develop the secondary nuances of adolescence. Anticipated maturity: Now-2024. Last tasted, 11/02.Robert Parker | 96 RPBig and ripe. Dark ruby-garnet color. Very ripe berry, chocolate and plum aromas. Full-bodied and chewy, with lots of tannins and a very ripe fruit finish. Tight, muscular and concentrated. Needs time.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2005. 4,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS(Château l’Evangile) The 1990 Château l’Evangile is one of the top Pomerols of the vintage and the wine has aged beautifully and is now well into its plateau of peak drinkability. This is a remarkable wine for its purity and precision, which are not always the calling cards of the 1990 vintage on the Right Bank. The bouquet jumps from the glass in a focused blend of black cherries, black plums, roasted gamebird, chocolate, a lovely base of soil and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nicely plush on the attack, with a fine core, impeccable focus and balance, melting tannins and impressively bright and zesty acids on the very long and complex finish. This is a terrific vintage of l’Evangile! (Drink between 2016-2050).John Gilman | 94 JG1990 was a very good vintage, although a bit more difficult to manage than the 1989. Flowering was uneven and as crop thinning was not as widely used as today, there were some ripening difficulties. But the sharp edges of youth have softened now, leaving a rich, round sense of self, with cassis-rich fruit. Black truffle notes after five minutes in the glass. Many years of drinking pleasure still to be had. Drinking Window 2018 - 2028.Decanter | 94 DECGood thick red. Very ripe aromas of melting caramel, tobacco, game, cinnamon and violets. Great sweetness and spice in the mouth; dense but not quite as fat as some right-bank ’90s; very stylish, actually, with decent acids. Tannins are quite firm. As accessible as this appears to be, we wouldn’t be at all surprised to see it close up in the next 18-24 months.Vinous Media | 93 VM

As with the 2000, this is still extremely young, barely out of the starting gates, and it needs time to open in the glass. It inches forward, rewarding patience with one of the most aromatically complex wines that you'll find in Bordeaux. Deep in colour, it has great aromatic balance of spice, swirled cinnamon and liquorice. Mouthwateringly good. A high yield of 52hl/ha, with 50% of the crop going to the grand vin. 75% new oak. Drinking Window 2018 - 2038Decanter | 97 DECThe 2001 Haut-Brion has a very refined bouquet of pure black cherries, wild strawberry, iodine and crushed violet scents. Hints of potpourri and incense emerge with time, but it does not quite slip into fifth gear. The palate is medium-bodied with Seville orange marmalade, tangy and lively, and expands gently toward the sensual Bing cherry and orange zest finish. Wonderful. 13.2° alcohol.Vinous Media | 95 VMNo written review provided | 95 W&SIntense aromas of violets, berries and spices follow through to a full-bodied palate, with layers of supersilky tannins and a long, long finish. Very classic in style. All in elegance and length. I like it better than the 2000. Best after 2009. 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSHaut-Brion’s 2001, which was bottled late (the end of September, 2003), possesses an unmistakable nobility as well as a burgeoning complexity. Plum/purple to the rim, this blend of 52% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Cabernet Franc is playing it close to the vest, having closed down considerably after bottling. Nevertheless, it reveals pure notes of sweet and sour cherries, black currants, licorice, smoke, and crushed stones. Medium-bodied with excellent purity, firm tannin, and an angular, structured finish, it requires 5-7 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2020+.Robert Parker | 94 RP

This has dreamy aromas already, with notes of Lapsang souchong tea, smoldering cigar and cold charcoal wafting up from the core of dense yet supple currant, fig and blackberry preserves. A loamy edge thumps through the finish, giving this an addictive, head-bobbing bass line. Best from 2026 through 2040. 8,335 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA wine of exceptional finesse, the 2014 Cheval Blanc lifts from the glass with captivating aromatics and sculpted red-fleshed fruit, all with the extra kick of acidity and overall freshness that are such a signature of this vintage. The 2014 is bright, finessed and persistent. It will almost certainly put on weight in bottle. I have a feeling something special is developing here.Antonio Galloni | 96+ AGWith its high proportion of Cabernet Franc (45%), this is a finely perfumed rich wine. It has great tannins, a smoky character that comes from the wood. The tannins are quite marked, giving a tight firm edge to the wine that otherwise has generous fruitiness. This is a complex wine, impressive, and likely to age over many years. Drink from 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEMedium garnet colored, the 2014 Cheval Blanc is still looking very youthful and wearing a bit of puppy fat, sporting gregarious red and black cherries notes with hints of oolong tea, wilted roses and dusty soil. Medium-bodied with firm, chewy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the lively fruit, it finishes on a lingering perfumed note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPAt 56% Cabernet Franc, this is a bright, floral Cheval Blanc, with white pepper, strawberry, mineral and oriental spice notes lingering nicely. Drinking Window 2015 - 2036.Decanter | 95 DECSupple, elegant, and seamless, the 2014 Chateau Cheval Blanc is about as classic as they come from this estate and shows the character of the vintage perfectly. Made from 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc brought up all in new barrels (although you’d never know that from tasting it), its still-youthful ruby/purple color is followed by a complex bouquet of sweet kirsch, black raspberries, violets, menthol, and flowery incense. With terrific sweetness of fruit, medium body, an ethereal texture, polished tannins, and a great finish, it’s going to hit prime time in another 2-4 years and, I suspect, surprise with its longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDSo much damson-plum and plum-cake richness, plus a substantial amount of fine tannin behind it, give this rich wine an impressively plush texture. Very long, supple finish that makes it hard not to reach for the glass once again. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.James Suckling | 94 JS