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Some of the hard tannins this wine possessed early in life have sloughed off to reveal a wine that has a stunning nose of roasted herbs, caramel, smoke, barbecue notes along with fruitcake, blackberry, and black cherry jam, and a bit of white chocolate also entering the smorgasbord of scents. Full-bodied, with low acidity but still moderately high tannin, still a tightly knit, very concentrated wine that is surprisingly structured and backward for Le Pin. It is also a bit more massive than most vintages. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025. Last tasted, 5/02.Robert Parker | 94 RPTasted at the Pomerol Comparative Exploration tasting in London, the 1995 Le Pin is a vintage that has never proven its pedigree. Now with two decades under its belt, the aromatics are strangely not that far from those of the 1995 Lafleur despite the absence of any Cabernet Franc. There is a pleasant mineralité here and impressive purity. The palate is fresh and vibrant, a mixture or red and black fruit with a subtle marine influence. Classy and sophisticated, this is unquestionably the finest bottle that I have encountered. Perhaps it was just a "late bloomer"? Anyway, I am happy to upgrade my score from previous encounters.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis is drinking beautifully. Lots of blackberry and dark chocolate aromas. Full, round and velvety. Love it. Wonderfully plummy, soft and long. Will improve.--Le Pin non-blind vertical. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This still broods seriously, with dark plum, currant and blackberry fruit, studded with charcoal, singed tobacco and cedar notes and backed by a serious grip of roasted earth. The gorgeously long finish is driven by old-school tannins, with the smoldering edge going on and on. A brick house of a Margaux, with more charcoal than graphite, more austerity than elegance and more power than refinement.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2034. 18,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSBottled very late (November, 1997), the 1995 has continued to flesh out, developing into one of the great classics made under the Mentzelopoulos regime. The color is opaque ruby/purple. The nose offers aromas of licorice and sweet smoky new oak intermixed with jammy black fruits, licorice, and minerals. The wine is medium to full-bodied, with extraordinary richness, fabulous equilibrium, and hefty tannin in the finish. In spite of its large size and youthfulness, this wine is user-friendly and accessible. This is a thrilling Margaux that will always be softer and more evolved than its broader-shouldered sibling, the 1996. How fascinating it will be to follow the evolution of both of these vintages over the next half century. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2040.Robert Parker | 95 RPThe 1995 Château Margaux is a vintage perhaps unfairly over-shadowed by the imperious 1996. That is unfair because the late Paul Pontallier crafted a great First Growth this year. It has a very impressive, quintessential Margaux bouquet that is undimmed after 23 years: black fruit, graphite, crushed violets and a touch of tobacco. If anything it becomes more and more pure with aeration and demonstrates exquisite delineation. The palate is very finely balanced. No, it does not have the intensity, the crystalline nature of the 1996 and yet there is a femininity and a finesse here that sweeps you off your feet. It is entertaining the possibility of secondary flavours but it remains focused on the red and black fruit, tensile on the almost balletic finish. Bon vin! Tasted blind at Philip’s February Christmas Party.Vinous Media | 95 VM

Still remarkably dark, intense and youthful in appearance, this Mouton shows more flamboyant characters on the nose than other vintages, with spices, cigar-box and blackcurrant leaf all to the fore. Rich, dense and fleshy palate with plenty of stuffing for further ageing. An impressive Mouton which lives up to the ‘star’ billing for the 1995 vintage with nearly all of the components in great balance. The only question mark regards the firm, slightly drying tannins, which still need to fully integrate. I suspect they will, but the 1995 may not quite reach the height of the 1996. Harvested 12 September to 27 September. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc.Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 97 DECBottled in June, 1997, this profound Mouton is more accessible than the more muscular 1996. A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 19% Merlot, it reveals an opaque purple color, and reluctant aromas of cassis, truffles, coffee, licorice, and spice. In the mouth, the wine is "great stuff," with superb density, a full-bodied personality, rich mid-palate, and a layered, profound finish that lasts for 40+ seconds. There is outstanding purity and high tannin, but my instincts suggest this wine is lower in acidity and slightly fleshier than the brawnier, bigger 1996. Both are great efforts from Mouton-Rothschild. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2030.Robert Parker | 95 RP(72% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot and 9% cabernet franc; pH 3.68; IPT 64; 12.4% alcohol; 88% new oak; 95% selection for the grand vin): Very dark, fully saturated ruby to the rim. Deep, brooding, rich aromas of blackberry, violet, milk chocolate, black pepper, cedar and incense; sexy and captivating. Bright and focused on entry, then rich, very smooth and suave, with highly concentrated flavors of red berries, dark plum, cedar and graphite. The extremely long, juicy finish features lively acids, great balance and persistent notes of underbrush and minerals. The mounting tannins coat the palate dry and are still years away from resolving fully. Harvested from September 12 through 27, which suggests that the merlot was probably very ripe. According to Tourbier, "We included a bit more merlot than usual because we felt the cabernet sauvignon had particularly tough tannins in 1995 and we didn’t want to risk making too tough or structured a wine. So we used the merlot to soften it up a bit." The estate was so happy with the quality of the wine (and the rather high 95% selection for the grand vin speaks volumes), said Tourbier, that they only made 15 barriques of the second wine Petit Mouton, which was launched with the 1993 vintage. A huge volume year, 1995 was characterized by very fine weather through most of the growth cycle but was marred by September rains.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis explodes on the nose with prunes, blackberries, mushrooms and fresh tobacco. Full body, ripe tannins and a juicy finish. Big and powerful. Still could do with a decade or more of aging.James Suckling | 95 JSAromas of ripe fruit and grilled meat follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a long caressing finish. Very beautiful wine. Mouton shows finesse yet richness in this vintage.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2007.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

What sumptuous pleasures await those who purchase either the 1996 or 1995 Pichon-Lalande. It is hard to choose a favorite, although the 1995 is a smoother, more immediately sexy and accessible wine. It is an exquisite example of Pichon-Lalande with the Merlot component giving the wine a coffee/chocolatey/cherry component to go along with the Cabernet Sauvignon’s and Cabernet Franc’s complex blackberry/cassis fruit. The wine possesses an opaque black/ruby/purple color, and sexy, flamboyant aromatics of pain grille, black fruits, and cedar. Exquisite on the palate, this full-bodied, layered, multidimensional wine should prove to be one of the vintage’s most extraordinary success stories. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2020.The 1995/1996 vintages are two of the greatest back to back efforts Pichon-Lalande has ever produced, including the 1982/1983 vintages.Robert Parker | 96 RPOffers a juicy, lively core of plum, cassis and blackberry, studded with anise, violet and singed vanilla notes. Everything pulls together seamlessly on the finish, with a well-embedded graphite spine. Sneakily long.—Non-blind Pichon Lalande vertical (July 2014). Drink now through 2035. Wine Spectator | 94 WSDeep red-ruby color. Currant, loam, tobacco and smoky oak on the nose. Silky, sweet and tender in the middle palate; leather, game and chocolate notes add complexity to the wine strong currant component. Showing slightly less harmoniously than the ’96, perhaps due to the bottling, but this thoroughly seductive wine has all the components for future greatness.Vinous Media | 92+ VMIn contrast to the 2015, this vintage has a larger percentage of Merlot in the blend, along with 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. The colour shows no sign of age, although the nose has less aromatic force than one would have expected. It does show charm and elegance, however. The attack is fresh and limpid, and the moderately concentrated fruit is backed by firm tannins. There’s plenty of grip here, but it lacks a little punch and persistence. Still highly enjoyable and finely balanced. Drinking Window 2018 - 2028Decanter | 91 DEC

Saturated ruby-red. Pure, highly perfumed aromas of black cherry, currant, plum, minerals, tobacco, leather and fresh herbs. Very ripe, suave and spicy; at once subtle and gripping. Lovely cabernet character dominating today. Very firm, long finish is youthful but not hard-edged. Showing extremely well.Vinous Media | 93+ VM(Château Calon-Ségur) Along with the 2001, the 1996 vintage at Calon-Ségur is one of my favorite from the merlot-centric era at the estate, probably because the vintage favored cabernet sauvignon so clearly in the Médoc and a bit more of this grape was included in the blend at Calon in this vintage. The bouquet is deep, vibrant and youthfully precise, wafting from the glass in a mix of cassis, dark berries, cigar ash, dark soil tones, a touch of curry and a gentle framing of cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impressively tangy, with a fine core of fruit, currently a quite tightly-knit personality, well-integrated tannins and very, very good length and grip on the focused and still quite youthful finish. This is going to be a lovely wine in another eight to ten years’ time and should prove to be quite long-lived. I love to imagine what the current team at Calon would have done with a vintage such as 1996 today! (Drink between 2020-2050)John Gilman | 92 JGThe 1996 may not be as profound as I had predicted from cask, but it is an exceptional wine. Dark ruby-colored, with a complex nose of dried herbs, Asian spices, and black cherry jam intermixed with cassis, it possesses outstanding purity, and considerable tannin in the finish. This classic, medium to full-bodied, traditionally made wine improves dramatically with airing, suggesting it will have a very long life. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2028.Robert Parker | 92 RPFully mature and drinking wonderfully well, the 1996 Château Calon Ségur has a classic nose of green tobacco, cedarwood, currants, and sous bois. Playing in the medium-bodied end of the spectrum, it has a wonderful sense of purity, polished tannins, solid mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. This is classic, focused, old school yet pure, balanced Bordeaux goodness. It has another two decades of prime drinking ahead of it. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDCurrant and fresh herbs. Full- to medium-bodied, with plum flavors and a medium finish.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

It’s hard to imagine how a wine of this power can sustain perfect balance. What is now a more nonchalant intensity in the aroma was, in fact, too much to handle when we tasted this last year, as if the wine had no time for mere humans with their limited sense receptors. If you stop to taste ripe pear, ginger spice, apple blossom and butterscotch the wine leaves you lost in random flavor descriptors as it soars off into a vinous glow that lasts for minutes. This may well be the greatest vintage wine of Henri Krug’s career (unless it is challenged by the 2002). It is impossible to predict how long this wine will thrive in bottle, though considering the current fine condition of the 1959 Krug, the first 50 years are a given.Wine & Spirits | 100 W&SA powerful, majestic Champagne. Deep and compelling, with aromas of whole-grain toast, coconut and dried citrus that draw you in. Lean and racy on the palate, with a creaminess that’s yet to be integrated. A classic ’96, with ripe, exotic aromas and a steely structure. Still a baby, with the long, resonant finish confirming its potential. Best from 2009 through 2040. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 99 WSThe real surprise among Krug’s 1996s is the 1996 Vintage, which is drinking beautifully, even among this rarified air of single-vineyard Champagnes. The 1996 Vintage is explosive and creamy, with just the right balance of power, richness and freshness. The mousse is perhaps just a touch less refined than in the 1996 Clos du Mesnil and Clos d’Ambonnay, but it is also perfectly measured with the wine’s exuberant personality. This multi-dimensional, textured Champagne is at the early part of its drinking window and promises to deliver an incredible drinking experience over the coming decades. The take-away from this flight of 1996s from Krug is simple. Although the 1996 Vintage can’t possibly be described as inexpensive, it shows exceptionally well next to its much more expensive brethren and clearly delivers a similar level of quality. Readers who have the opportunity to pick up this wine should not hesitate. It is a gem. No disgorgement date provided. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2036.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 1996 Vintage is magnificent. A towering, explosive Champagne, the 1996 delivers the house’s signature breadth in a full-bodied, structured Champagne with enough pure density and acidity to age well for decades. Warm nutty and spiced overtones add nuance on the finish. The 1996 is just beginning to enter the early part of its mature stage, where it is sure to remain for several decades. Krug’s Vintage is one of the truly epic wines of the year.Antonio Galloni | 98 AG(Krug Vintage Brut (Reims)) I had not drunk a bottle of the 1996 Krug in several years, as I had deemed the wine still in climbing mode and I am not generally in the business of drinking Krug before its time. But, a friend recently opened a bottle and I was very impressed with how the wine is evolving in the bottle since its release. The bouquet is now starting to show some lovely secondary layering of complexity in its blend of apple, peach, a touch of sweet walnut, patissière, a refined base of minerality, caraway seed and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine flavors on the attack echo the nose nicely, with the wine’s full-bodied format sporting excellent depth at the core, still plenty of the vintage’s snappy acidity, great focus and grip and a very, very long and utterly refined finish. Though this remains quite racy structurally, I really like the point it has reached in terms of aromatic and flavor complexity and it is really not a crime to be opening bottles up at this point in its evolution, though it still has room to grow with further bottle age. A great, great vintage of Krug. (Drink between 2019-2060).John Gilman | 98 JGThis is a handsome yellow-gold colour with hints of bronze. Still fresh and vigorous yet with a ripe acidity. Wow, this is something else in the mouth! There is a lot going on - firm and tight one moment, then a panoply of sensuous flavours. Williams pears and glace à l’orange evolve into lemon and prunes. A splendid finale of great length and vigour demonstrates that this ’96 still has years of life ahead of it. Drinking Window 2017 - 2030.Decanter | 96 DEC

An elegant but muscular Lafite, really summing up the trajectory that this wine takes over decades in a good vintage. It started out in its early years with huge concentration, more in fact than in many vintages, but it is now showcasing the subtlety and infinite range of flavours and aromatics that makes Lafite such a singular wine. Expect layers of earth, cigar box, liquorice, cold ash, blackberry, cassis, pencil lead, mint leaf and crushed rock minerality. The first Lafite to be put in an anti-fraud engraved bottle. 38% of overall production in the first wine, quite low at the time although typical today. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 100 DECTasted three times since bottling, the 1996 Lafite-Rothschild is unquestionably this renowned estate’s greatest wine. As I indicated last year, only 38% of the crop was deemed grand enough to be put into the final blend, which is atypically high in Cabernet Sauvignon (83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot). This massive wine may be the biggest, largest-scaled Lafite I have ever tasted. It will require many years to come around, so I suspect all of us past the age of fifty might want to give serious consideration as to whether we should be laying away multiple cases of this wine. It is also the first Lafite-Rothschild to be put into a new engraved bottle (designed to prevent fraudulent imitations). The wine exhibits a thick-looking, ruby/purple color, and a knock-out nose of lead pencil, minerals, flowers, and black currant scents. Extremely powerful and full-bodied, with remarkable complexity for such a young wine, this huge Lafite is oozing with extract and richness, yet has managed to preserve its quintessentially elegant personality. This wine is even richer than it was prior to bottling. It should unquestionably last for 40-50 years. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2050.Robert Parker | 100 RPThe 1996 Lafite-Rothschild is consistent with the bottle shown at the Hong Kong vertical. It has an intense bouquet with blackberry, cedar and a pencil box of graphite. The adjective I use whilst writing this note is that the aromas are "cool". Perhaps given its provenance, this is one of the most backward bottles of 1996 that I have tasted. There are those fine but rigid tannins that lend this Lafite such beguiling symmetry, copious cedar and graphite with vein of brine and oyster shell. I love the precision of this wine and the sappiness on the finish. At the moment, maybe more impressive than enjoyable, so if you can, cellar it for another 5 to 8 years. Tasted at the Lafite-Rothschild 150th anniversary dinner at the estate.Vinous Media | 97+ VMThe beauty and balance of this are phenomenal. Seamless tannins and fruit. Full body yet so balanced and refined. Sweet tobacco and berries. Minerals and cedar. A beautiful wine. The depth is superb. Drink now.James Suckling | 97 JSGorgeous aromas of currant, berries and licorice. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Still holding back. People talk about this as one of the greatest Lafites ever, but I don’t think so.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

A spectacular Latour, the 1996 may be the modern day clone of the 1966, only riper. This vintage, which is so variable in Pomerol, St.-Emilion, and Graves, was fabulous for the late-harvested Cabernet Sauvignon of the northern Medoc because of splendid weather in late September and early October. An opaque purple color is followed by phenomenally sweet, pure aromas of cassis infused with subtle minerals. This massive offering possesses unreal levels of extract, full body, intensely ripe, but abundant tannin, and a finish that lasts for nearly a minute. Classic and dense, it displays the potential for 50-75 years of longevity. Although still an infant, it would be educational to taste a bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050.Robert Parker | 99 RPFabulous aromas of crushed raspberries, plums and blackberries. Mind-blowing nose. Full-bodied, with soft and silky tannins and a long caressing finish. Hard not to drink now, but leave it alone.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 17,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS(Château Latour) The last bottle of the 1996 Latour that I tasted was part of a mini-vertical that was one of the most ingenuous and generous flights of wine I have tasted in a long time, as my friend paired the 1996 Latour up with the 1896 Latour at a double blind tasting in February of this year! Needless to say, the one hundred years’ worth of bottle age between the two vintages was sufficient to convince none of us that it was the same property, but both wines acquitted themselves beautifully. I was surprised at how well the 1996 Latour was starting to show, given that it is a classically-styled Latour from a very tannic and powerful vintage in the Medoc, but the wine is already starting to drink with some generosity. The bouquet is superb, offering up scents of black cherries, cassis, cigar ash a touch of tariness, gravelly soil tones, smoke and a whisper of balsam bough in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with firm, still plenty chewy tannins, fine focus and balance and a very long, nascently complex and quite promising finish. This is nowhere near as unapproachable as I would have supposed the combination of Latour and 1996 would be, but I would be inclined to give it another decade in the cellar and really let the fireworks get rolling properly. (Drink between 2027-2085)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe 1996 Latour is a wine that I often find overrated and did not achieve everything that might have been possible in this favourable growing season. That said, this might well be the best of around two dozen bottles I have encountered over the years. As usual, the 1996 is decidedly austere at first, standoffish, looks down its nose at you. Yet it coalesces with time and develops engaging cedar-scented black fruit tinged with pencil box and a touch of iris with time. The palate (again) is a little muted at first but it soon found its voice and evolved very fine tannin allied with a crisp line of acidity. It is not quite as demonstrative as it was even just a couple of years ago, gained some detail and perhaps it will continue to meliorate. Very fine, very fine indeed - but not a patch of say, the Château Margaux or perhaps even Léoville Las Cases. Tasted at the International Business & Wine Latour dinner at Ten Trinity.Vinous Media | 94 VM(Château Latour, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) This highly anticipated bottle was a bit of a disappointment. One of the two bottles was oxidised, and the other seemed a bit more mature than I would have hoped, with a meaty, savoury note to the black fruit, accented with leather and smoke. The grapes were picked from 17th September to 2nd October, and slightly more than 50% of the fruit was used in the grand vin. A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. (Drink between 2022-2042)Decanter | 92 DEC

I think we can officially declare 25 years as being the sweet spot for Léoville Las Cases - at least in slow-ageing vintages such as 1996, which is so perfectly suited to Cabernet Sauvignon. Still full-bodied and concentrated even now, but generous also, with cassis, tobacco and cigarbox smoke softening the edges of flint-chiselled tannic frame... Las Cases can be almost Burgundian-like in how elusive it is (in this case because of how stubborn and tannic it can prove), but when you get the one bottle that sings, it’s all worth it. This more than proves the point. Michel Delon owner at the time.Jane Anson | 100 JAHaving previously rated it nearly perfect, I was apprehensive of a letdown about tasting the 1996 Leoville Las Cases once it had been bottled, but that concern was quickly dismissed once I put my nose in the glass. A profound Leoville Las Cases, it is one of the great modern day wines of Bordeaux. This wine’s hallmark remains a sur-maturite (over-ripeness) of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Yet the wine has retained its intrinsic classicism, symmetry, and profound potential for complexity and elegance. The black/purple color is followed by a spectacular nose of cassis, cherry liqueur, pain grille, and minerals. It is powerful and rich on the attack, with beautifully integrated tannin, massive concentration, yet no hint of heaviness or disjointedness. As this wine sits in the glass it grows in stature and richness. It is a remarkable, seamless, palate-staining, and extraordinarily elegant wine - the quintessential St.-Julien. Despite the sweetness of the tannin, I would recommend cellaring this wine for 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2035.Robert Parker | 98 RPSaturated bright, dark ruby. Perfumed, vibrant, very youthful aromas of cassis, violet and bitter chocolate. Dense and powerful, with great clarity of flavor thanks to a terrific spine of acidity. Almost painfully structured wine but not at all hard. Finishes very long and gripping, with a note of bitter chocolate. Drink 2012 through 2040.Vinous Media | 96+ VMIncredible nose of blackberry, mineral, cedar and currant. Full-bodied, with silky and refined tannins and a medium caressing finish. It’s a beautiful wine that begs to be drunk now but will age and improve for a long time.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 1996 Chateau Margaux, a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, must be a strong contender for wine of the vintage. It offers everything you desire from this First Growth. It is blessed with breathtaking delineation and freshness on the nose, understated at first and then blossoming with mineral-infused black fruit, hints of blueberry, crushed stone and violet. The palate is perfectly balanced with filigree tannin, perfect acidity, a wine where everything seems to be in its right place. Blackberry, crushed stone at the front of the mouth, just a touch of spice towards the finish that shows supreme control. This is a Margaux that seems to light up the senses. It was outstanding in its youth...something that has not changed one bit over the intervening two decades. This may well turn out to be the Left Bank pinnacle of the 1990s. Tasted July 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 100 RP-NMSoftly spoken, fine tannins, pencil lead and leather, with truffle, earth, campfire and spice. Long drawn out finish, achingly slow, crushed stone, tobacco and dried roses. As with the 2001, the generosity and beauty of the aromatics tells you that this is absolutely ready to drink - although in many ways it feels like it will last longer than the 2001, as the tannins are still holding everything in place. This got the audience award on the night, and no question it is a stunning wine that is still giving so much pleasure at 25 years old. The 1996 has really grown into itself - it was a late harvest at the time after a burst of rain at the end of September that they decided to wait through before picking, and were rewarded with beautifully ripe Cabernet that was high in dense tannins and a little surly at first, but that has turned into one of the greatest vintages of the 1990s (rivaled only by the 1990 itself in my opinion). 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend, 100% new oak. (Drink between 2021-2040)Decanter | 100 DECWhile the 1996 Château Margaux has been closed and difficult to read for the past decade, it showed beautifully on this occasion, with its hallmark elegance and purity paired with a dense, powerful profile. Still youthfully ruby-hued with notes of pure crème de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, incense, and chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, building yet seamless tannins, and an awesome finish. This is pure class as well as a quintessential Margaux! To be on the safe side, give bottles another 4-5 years and it’s going to keep for 50-75 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBright full ruby. Pure, perfumed aromas of cassis and violet. Dense and tactile in the mouth; a huge, chewy wine with major extract but also considerable refinement. Almost painfully backward today, and a bit less perfumed than it was in the year or so after the bottling, but the huge tannins show no hardness. Another great expression of cabernet sauvignon from the ’96 vintage. Drink 2015 through 2040.Vinous Media | 96+ VMFully formed now, with a rush of steeped currant and black tea notes that are melded with a backdrop of anise, sandalwood, bergamot and charcoal. The long, suave finish lets the perfume linger, with a weighty feel. This seems to mark the start of the refinement of tannins; despite the power, this is all grace and elegance.--Non-blind Château Margaux vertical (December 2013). Drink now through 2031.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The standout wine of the tasting (as expected). Opulent, concentrated with intense cassis notes on both the nose and palate, with a deep-purple hue in the glass (although not quite as deep as the 1995). Mint, cool, menthol on the nose with restrained oak hovering in the background. The palate is ultra-elegant with a freshness from the acidity and perfectly-ripe tannins, combined with subtle oak and intriguing spicy, cedary notes. A wine that is drinking beautifully now but still has one (or possibly two) decades to go. Harvested 27 September to 9 October. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. (Drink between 2022-2035)Decanter | 98 DECThe last time I tasted the 1996 Mouton Rothschild (maybe a couple of years ago?), I recall it was a bit broody and closed. This showing was anything but! Deep garnet in color, it sashays out of the glass with lavishly dressed, gregarious crème de cassis, baked blackberries and plum pudding scents plus touches of menthol, fenugreek, star anise and sandalwood with fleeting glimpses at dried rose petals and oolong tea. The full-bodied palate is richly fruited, opulent and oh-so seductive, with bags of youthful black fruit and lovely finely grained tannins, finishing with fantastic freshness and length. This was tasted from jeroboam in September 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPIncredible nose of ultraripe fruit, it’s yet subtle and complex. Full-bodied, with very ripe, almost sweet fruit and a long, long caressing finish. Superb. This is edging out the 1995.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 1996 Mouton-Rothschild is the high point of what in retrospect was an inconsistent decade for this First Growth. It has a very attractive, classic Pauillac bouquet: predominantly black fruit laced with cedar, freshly rolled tobacco and light graphite scents. It is not lavish, but tightly controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, though not as fine as recent vintages under Philippe Dhalluin. There is satisfying density and gentle grip toward the finish, which feels fresh and contains enough energy to suggest that it is only just reaching its plateau. Tasted from an ex-château jeroboam at the Palace of Versailles charity dinner.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe bottle I opened was fabulous on the nose with aromas of currants, cedar, sweet tobacco, incense, and flowers. It was full-bodied, with very fine silky tannins and similar flavors as the aromas. However, a slightly green undertone came thorough on the palate. It didn’t bother me, but the Italians seemed annoyed with it – even disappointed. Regardless, I scored the wine.James Suckling | 94 JS

Wild aromas of crushed fruit, forest flower and wild mushrooms. Full-bodied, with incredibly velvety tannins that go on and on. Lovely and exciting fruit. Gorgeous, seductive wine. Hard to resist now. Better than I remember.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2007.Wine Spectator | 94 WSProprietor Christian Moueix’s 1996s have turned out well in the bottle. The 1996 Petrus is a big, monolithic, foursquare wine with an impressively opaque purple color, and sweet berry fruit intermixed with earth, pain grille, and coffee scents. Full-bodied and muscular, with high levels of tannin, and a backward style, this wine (less than 50% of the production was bottled as Petrus) will require patience. It is a mammoth example. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2035Robert Parker | 92 RP

Very good deep red color. Complex aromas of black cherry, currant, chocolate, herbs, licorice and tobacco leaf. Fairly sweet and dense on the palate, with very good concentration and firm acidity for the year. This is aged in 100% new oak, but the wood is very much in the background. Finishes very long and subtle, with excellent grip and a suggestion of earthy terroir.Vinous Media | 89-93 VMOnly 26% of the crop made it into the final blend, resulting in only 15,000 cases of the 1997 Lafite-Rothschild. Readers should not ignore this wine because of the negative press surrounding the 1997 vintage. It boasts an opaque dense purple color in addition to a gorgeously sweet, expansive perfume of cedar wood, black currants, lead pencil, and minerals. What follows is a fat mid-palate, medium body, explosive fruit and richness, soft tannin, and a velvety texture. It is a beautiful, compelling Lafite-Rothschild that can be drunk young, yet promises to evolve for 15+ years. Although one of the most forward Lafites ever tasted, it is all the more captivating because of this characteristic. Don’t miss it!Robert Parker | 92 RPWonderfully complex on the nose, with licorice, spice, berry and tobacco character. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a delicious finish. Drink now through 2005.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A medium-bodied, lighter style of Mouton. Paler in colour, this has a cool, leafy, slightly herbal character with some cooked fruit on the nose. Fresh, black and raspberry characters on the palate. Lacking a bit of concentration, this is at its best now, and finishes a bit short. Harvested 11 September to 30 September. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 55% of production used for the Grand Vin. Drinking Window 2021 - 2021.Decanter | 91 DECOnly 55% of the harvest was utilized for the 1997 Mouton-Rothschild. One of the most forward and developed Moutons over recent years, it possesses all the charm and fleshiness this vintage can provide. A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the wine exhibits a dense ruby/purple color, and an open-knit nose of cedar wood, blackberry liqueur, cassis, and coffee. Fleshy, ripe, and mouth-filling, with low acidity, soft tannin, and admirable concentration and length, this delicious Pauillac will be drinkable in 2-3 years, and should age for 15+. It is an impressive effort for this vintage.Robert Parker | 90 RPDeep ruby. Exotic, enticing aromas of black fruits, cherry cough syrup, roast coffee and caramel, along with pungent oakiness. Sweet, fat and thick in the mouth, but with adequate framing acidity. Quite ripe on the back end, with much finer tannins than the foregoing ’97s.Vinous Media | 90+ VM

This is a forgotten Pétrus. Good dark color, with lovely plum and light raspberry aromas. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a fresh, fruity finish. A beauty. Fresh and long. Slightly better than when I tasted it a few years back.--Pétrus non-blind vertical. Best after 2005.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe backward 1997 (2,300 cases produced) needs 3-4 years of cellaring. The dense plum/ruby/purple color is accompanied by a closed bouquet of mocha, dried tomato skin, and black fruits. In the mouth, it is one of the most muscular 1997s, exhibiting outstanding concentration, length, intensity, and depth, copious tannin, and a fine mouth-feel. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.Robert Parker | 91 RPDeep red-ruby. Cherry, redcurrant, raspberry, toffee, minerals and iron filings on the nose. Opulent and deep, with a silky, mouthfilling texture and lovely caramel sweetness. Boasts outstanding length for the vintage. Suave and harmonious.Vinous Media | 91-92 VM

A super-silky red with notes of stone, limestone, cedar and plum. Full-bodied but so polished. The length and complexity are amazing. Just opening now.James Suckling | 99 JSSaturated deep ruby, much darker and brighter than the other vintages tasted. Sappy, fresh aromas of boysenberry, cassis, minerals, bitter chocolate and espresso, with complicating notes of underbrush and earth. Extremely pure and penetrating, with fruit of steel and a powerful mineral underpinning. Finishes with strong, firm tannins and great persistence. Essence of Ausone, without the funkiness shown by so many past vintages of this wine. Offers exciting potential. Drink 2008 to 2030.Vinous Media | 95+ VMDark ruby color. Aromas of lavender, violet, mint and crushed berries. Full-bodied, with polished, chewy tannins and lots of mint, blackberry and wet earth flavors. Goes on and on. Tight and powerful. Needs a long time to open still.—’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2012. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSReaders should not hesitate to check out Ausone’s new second wine, Chapelle d’Ausone. It reveals Ausone’s minerality, finesse, and quality presented in a lower-keyed, more open-knit style.A dense opaque purple color offers up restrained, but pure aromas of liquid minerals, blackberries, black raspberries, and flowers. Medium to full-bodied, with high tannin but a long, super-pure, symmetrical mouth-feel, this dazzling, extremely complex Ausone requires 6-10 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050.Robert Parker | 94 RPNo written review provided. | 94 W&S

The 1998 Cheval Blanc, a blend of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-brick in color and absolutely explodes with scents of exotic spices, incense, dried roses, cigar box and licorice, with a core of crème de cassis and dried cherries plus touches of black tea and dusty earth. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with rich, plushly textured fruit and then POW—it hits the mid-palate with an explosion of Chinese five spice and floral perfume sparks, leading to an epically long finish. This cannot fail to impress and can easily cellar for another 30 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPAnother perfect wine is the 1998 Chateau Cheval Blanc, which is the usual blend of 55/45 Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Possessing an utterly captivating bouquet of sweet red and black fruits, forest floor, spice and dried flowers, it packs plenty of muscle and depth on the palate, yet is also expansive, elegant and seamless, with no hard edges. Just singing, with everything you could want; complexity, richness, elegance, depth, and length, drink this sensational beauty any time over the coming two decades. I’m sure it will keep longer, but why in the world would you wait.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe reference chateau of the vintage, this wine is showing its class here and then some. It was the first year with Bernard Arnault and Albert Frère as owners, with Pierre Lurton coming onboard from his former role at Clos Fourtet. 10% press wine was used, whereas today they use no press wine in the grand vin. It was aged in 100% new oak. The 36ha of vines yielded 32hl/ha, closer to their average than the relatively abundant 1989). The holdings have since expanded to 39ha with the addition of 3ha from Tour du Pin Figeac. 67% of production went in to the grand vin, the rest into Petit Cheval. This is seductive and rich but with a purity and precision. There’s more Merlot in the blend than is typical because the clay soils produced the best quality grapes, and you can see its impact in the textural density - the proximity to Pomerol comes through. Drinking Window 2019 - 2036Decanter | 100 DECAromas of blueberry, sweet tobacco, leather and pipe tobacco turning to raisins and Christmas cake. What a wine. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a very well-integrated palate. Dark color. A big and powerful wine still. Blockbuster. Massive. Just a baby.—’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2013. 8,330 cases made, 1,600 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 98 WSAromas of rose petal and hints of fresh herbs such currant leaf. Tobacco, too. Medium body, very fine tannins and a balanced fruit. Extremely refined and polished. A beautiful harmony. So lovely now.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 1998 Cheval Blanc has been a lauded wine ever since release. I have often, quite controversially felt that it never quite matched its startling performances in its first ten years, though it remains and excellent wine. Now at 20-years old it offers opulent, high-toned scents of maraschino cherry, iodine, crème de cassis, dried blood and a subtle, almost Provençal herb-like scent courtesy of the Cabernet Franc. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grip, showy compared to other vintages of Cheval Blanc with sappy red fruit and a fine structured that lends this 1998 focus. Perhaps this bottle did not quite deliver the intensity on the finish that I was expecting, "jogging" instead of "sprinting" over the finish line. That said, it is a very impressive wine, even if personally I would not put it amongst the very best wines that Pierre Lurton has overseen. Tasted at Cheval Blanc.Vinous Media | 95+ VMNo written review provided. | 95 W&S

Still incredibly youthful and sporting a lot of fruit, the deep garnet-brick colored 1998 Haut-Brion sashays out of the glass with flamboyant red and black fruits, followed by a train of cassis, blueberry pie and chocolate box notions plus accents of iron ore, dried lavender and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully rich and decadently seductive in its generosity of fruit and velvety texture, offering seamless freshness and finishing with epic length and compelling minerality. Oh so delicious right now, with careful cellaring it should continue to excite through 2045 and beyond.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPDark color, with decadent aromas of truffles, meat, ripe berries and tobacco. Turns to sweet, crushed berries. Full-bodied, with very polished tannins and a berry and mineral aftertaste. The serious tannin structure is still hiding behind the fruit of the wine. Tightly wound and beautiful. Solid as a rock. A classic wine.—’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2011. 12,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 1998 Haut Brion has long been a favourite vintage of mine and consumed with pleasure several times. Now at 20-years of age I feel it is one step ahead of the 1998 La Mission: there is great fruit intensity with almost precocious blackberry, raspberry coulis, pastilles, tobacco and hints of olive. It has exquisite delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with fuller in the mouth than the La Mission: deeper fruit (blackberry, mulberry and a touch of strawberry) intermingling with sage, cedar and a touch of hung game. It is not quite as precocious or as glossy on the finish as I remember previous bottles, but it is certainly turning into one of the finest wines of this vintage. Tasted at the château.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe Haut-Brion showed super decadent character with foie gras, plums and tobacco. It was full body, round and beautifully textured. It lasted for minutes after tasting.James Suckling | 96 JSNo written review provided. | 96 W&S(Château Haut Brion) The 1998 Haut Brion is tight and very shut down at the present time, but offers lovely potential for down the road. The bouquet offers up a primary and typically “weedy” young Haut Brion blend of dark berries, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, a touch of nuttiness, a bit of the herbal funk of young cabernet in the Graves and a judicious framing of new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep, racy and quite dumb, with fine mid-palate depth, lovely focus and excellent length on the ripely tannic and well-balanced finish. This wine is completely closed at the present time and will need at least a dozen years or more to begin to emerge from hibernation, but will be a lovely bottle for a long time once it begins to blossom. (Drink between 2020-2060)John Gilman | 93 JG

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 last year. This opaque purple-colored 1998 is close to perfection. The spectacular nose of lead pencil, smoky, mineral, and black currant fruit soars majestically from the glass. The wine is elegant yet profoundly rich, revealing the essence of Lafite’s character. The tannin is sweet, and the wine is spectacularly layered yet never heavy. The finish is sweet, super-rich, yet impeccably balanced and long (50+ seconds). Anticipated maturity: 2007-2035.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 1998 Lafite-Rothschild is served from double magnum directly from the château reserves, in fact with the man who made it sitting opposite me – Charles Chevalier. I must admit to being quite amazed how well this shows at 20-years of age, trouncing all the other First Growths except Haut-Brion. Lucid in colour, it has a vivid bouquet of pure blackberry, blueberry, vanilla and graphite, perhaps just a little uncharacteristically showy in style, but beautifully defined and intense. The palate is perfectly balanced with layers of ripe black fruit, perfectly pitched acidity and a silky smooth texture that renders this utterly seductive. It is almost too good for me to recommend cellaring longer. Whatever...it is a sublime Lafite-Rothschild that on this showing, may well challenge the supremacy of the 1996. Tasted at the Académie du Vin dinner in Bordeaux.Vinous Media | 96 VMAmazing aromas of crushed blackberries, toasted oak and currant, spices. Really a great nose. Full-bodied, with round and velvety tannins and a long, long finish. It lasts for minutes on the palate. Superb. Best wine of the Médoc, without a doubt.--’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2011. 21,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSNo written review provided. | 94 W&SEasy vintage until September, when conditions in the Médoc particularly became humid, which meant accelerating the harvest (it was one of those years when Lafite benefitted enormously from its ability to ramp up a bigger-than-expected team of pickers). Salin still calls this a lunch wine, because of its supple freshness, its balance that would work so perfectly with food.The vintage was a showcase for Bordeaux on the Right Bank, where it was considered great from the start. The Medoc and Graves were less well received at the time, but are ripe for rediscovering now. This still has a lovely deep ruby red colour, and on both the nose and palate you are getting to secondary aromas, a walk in the forest, mushrooms, cedars, heather, game – these are flavours you just don’t get in young wines, and amply reward the patience of holding bottles back. The surprise, and the Lafite signature, comes in its vibrancy, in its huge persistency and in the lift on the finish.Decanter | 94 DEC

Richest of the lineup in terms of decadent black cherry and damson plum that seduce straight from the first hit and expand upwards and outwards through the palate. Structured and precise and yet full of abandon, with crème de cassis, bitter chocolate, cinnamon and smoked caramel edging. Pillow-plumped tannins are what always come to mind when I taste Le Pin, and here they are again, so soft and caressing that they are impossible to resist. 435 cases produced, a near perfect embodiment of the singular character of this property, clearly showcasing why it is so treasured. 100% new oak. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 99 DECIntense, with fleshy layers of raspberry confiture and plum reduction that rumble throughout, but the structure is so velvety that this winds up stretching out almost languidly when it finally reaches the finish, ending with dried star anise, vanilla flower and a lilting note of singed juniper. Pretty gorgeous, but just a hair behind the ’10 in precision.--Non-blind Le Pin vertical (December 2015). Drink now through 2030. 450 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA beautifully made, dark ruby/garnet/plum-colored wine, the 1998 Le Pin offers an exotic bouquet of coconut, kirsch liqueur, and jammy blackberries, all flamboyantly dosed with smoky new oak. It is dense, rich, and plush, with a good tannic framework. At one time, Le Pin was the most exotic wine from Bordeaux’s right bank, but there is now considerable competition from all the new St.-Emilion upstarts. While this remains an outstanding, often compelling Pomerol, many far less expensive, equally prodigious alternatives have emerged. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2018.Robert Parker | 93 RPTasted at the Pomerol Comparative Exploration tasting in London, the 1998 Le Pin has always been a bit of a lush. The bouquet is sexy and very candied: crème de cassis, crushed violets, blueberries and incense. This is a seductive Pomerol that wants to skip small talk and go back to yours for coffee. The palate is sensual, velvety smooth, rounded and plush. It is like a slow-mo explosion of blue and black fruit, perhaps a little generous with the vanillary new oak although that is being subsumed as the wine ages. The 1998 Le Pin is the Mrs. Robinson of the vintage.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

(Masseto Masseto Red) A dark, seamless beauty, the 1998 Masseto is off the charts. This is such a remarkable bottle. At twenty years of age, the 1998 is still very young, but its exotic beauty and sheer opulence make it such a pleasure to drink and taste on this evening. The very hot, dry year yielded a sumptuous, bold wine with tons of depth that really emerges with time in the glass. What a wine! (Drink between 2018-2033)Vinous Media | 98 VMHerbaceous, with bell pepper, wild herb, coffee and cocoa notes set against a background of cherry and plum fruit. Nonetheless, this is silky and fluid, with a fine structure building to a lingering finish. Merlot.—Non-blind Masseto vertical (October 2017). Drink now through 2032. 2,580 cases made. — BSWine Spectator | 97 WS

The 1998 Trotanoy displays a deep garnet-purple color. Wow. Tons of gregarious fruit springs from the glass—crème de cassis, blackberry pie, blueberry compote and mincemeat with suggestions of cigar box, chargrilled meat, incense, earth and dried cherries plus a touch of dried flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it coats the palate with bags of rich, plush textured fruit, offering layer upon layer of exotic spice and savory flavors, finishing epically long and layered. This is mind-blowingly delicious!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPLast tasted in June 2019, and almost two years later this remains an exceptional wine, showing no signs of flagging. A full array of cloves, black pepper, black cherry, truffles, opulent cigar box and creamy chocolate, and given definition and reined in by firm tannins and still fresh acidities. Needs decanting and easily has another 15 years ahead of it. (Drink between 2021-2038)Decanter | 97 DEC(95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc; 3.72 pH; IPT 71; 13.5% alcohol): Bright ruby-red with a hint of garnet at the rim. Knockout deep, nuanced nose of blackcurrant, red cherry, violets and truffle. Supple, broad and full in the mouth, with smoky blackberry, caramel and spicy pepper flavors. The finish is long and silky, with ultrasmooth tannins and a lingering mineral note. This impeccably balanced wine is utterly irresistible already. "An exceptional wine and one of the best examples of Trotanoy ever," according to Jean-Claude Berrouet. I couldn’t agree more.Vinous Media | 97 VMVery sweet, plummy fruit on the nose, with hints of milk chocolate and spices. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a big, juicy palate. A subtle wine that builds on the palate. It’s sort of like a weight-lifting ballerina. Give this big wine time. Really impressive.--’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2012.Wine Spectator | 97 WS(Château Trotanoy (Pomerol)) The 1998 vintage of Trotanoy is one of the legends in the making at this great estate, and all that is needed for this wine is an additional ten to twelve years of bottle age to allow the wine to fully blossom. This is an utterly classical vintage here, offering up a deep, pure and still youthful bouquet of red and black plums, black cherries, gravelly soil tones, cigar wrapper, incipient smokiness and a nice touch of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and utterly seamless, with a rock solid core of fruit, fine-grained tannins and outstanding focus and grip on the very, very long, nascently complex and captivating finish. This is clearly an old school vintage of Trotanoy that follows my “thirty year rule” for this property’s greatest wines, and is aging at an even more leisurely pace than I anticipated when I last drank a bottle in 2013 and is consequently, still many years away from truly blossoming. But, it will be utterly profound in the fullness of time. (Drink between 2030-2100).John Gilman | 96 JGNo written review provided | 94 W&S

No written review provided. | 97 W&SRich and decadent on the nose, with raspberry jam and Indian spices. Full-bodied, with an almost dusty texture. Long and seamless, with beautiful, firm tannins and a racy finish. Wonderfully delicate sweet fruit on the finish. Needs a few more years to open.--’88/’98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2011. 1,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA fine offering, the 1998 has closed down, but there is no doubting its fabulous potential. The color is a dense purple. The wine reveals high tannin, huge body, and classy black fruits intermixed with minerals, spice box, cedar, and tobacco. A long, persistent, tannic finish gives this majestic effort a closed but formidable personality. Patience will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2030.Robert Parker | 92 RPBright ruby-red. Cassis, raspberry, cedar, lead pencil and spicy oak on the nose. Rich, sweet and deep, with firm acids giving grip and verve to the plum, raspberry, lead pencil and bitter chocolate flavors. Wonderfully concentrated, lively and very long. The yield here, according to Thienpont, was just 34 hectoliters per hectare.Vinous Media | 92 VM(Vieux Château Certan) As noted above, 1998 was destined to be the inaugural vintage of VCC for the new cépage of sixty percent merlot, thirty percent cabernet franc and ten percent cabernet sauvignon, but due to the season, the grand vin actually ended up being comprised of eighty-five percent merlot, ten percent cabernet sauvignon and only five percent cabernet franc. At age eleven the wine looks to be very promising indeed, but one has to wonder whether or not a VCC such as 1998 with so little cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon will eventually show the classic profile of this estate. The deep and vibrant nose jumps from the glass in a really lovely blend of cassis, dark berries, tobacco, espresso, soil and spicy new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and nascently complex, with a rock solid core of fruit, firm, well-integrated tannins, lovely focus and great length and grip on the palate-staining finish. At this point in the wine’s evolution there is still a bit of oak tannin that needs to be more fully absorbed into the depth of fruit here, but the wine is impeccably balanced and this should only be a matter of a few more years of bottle age. This is a very strong and fairly classic example of the vintage that still demands many more years in the cellar before starting to drink it. It will be very interesting to follow this wine and see how it ultimately stacks up with some of the great past vintages of VCC. (Drink between 2016-2050)John Gilman | 92 JG

The 1999 Richebourg Grand Cru from Hudelot-Noëllat personifies the vineyard with some style. It has a stunning, pure, elegant and effortless nose that maybe expresses that essence of pinoté better than more than a dozen other Richebourg wines present at this tasting. Raspberry coulis, wild strawberry and cold stone soar from the glass with great focus. The palate is tensile, the red berry fruit laced with orange zest that lends vivacity and energy. To be banal, this is just a Richebourg so well crafted that you want to just drink it rather than intellectualize over its virtues. That’s the sign of a great wine. Drink from 2015-2030.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 95 RP-NM(Richebourg- Hudelot-Noëllat) The 1999 Hudelot Richebourg is much more together out of the blocks that the RSV, delivering a complex and compelling bouquet of red plums and cherries, milk chocolate, smoke, venison, minerals, herb tones, hints of forest floor and a stylish coating of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, lush and potentially quite opulent, with excellent focus and polish, packed with fruit at the core, and excellent length and grip on the moderately tannic finish. This does not quite possess the nascent complexity of the Méo Richebourg, but it matches it every step of the way for breed, focus and delineation, Another ringing success for the vintage. While this will be approachable in a few years, I would give it at least eight or nine years to fully open and start hitting on all cylinders. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2010-2040)John Gilman | 94 JG (aged in about 40% new oak, a bit less than in recent vintages): Medium red with modest saturation. Aromas of black raspberry, leather and earth are less pristine than those of today’s wines. Creamy-sweet and spicy in the mouth, with a slightly high-toned quality to its fat flavors of red berries, red cherry, underbrush and leather.Vinous Media | 93 VMClassic Hudelot style with its discreetly elegant nose of spice and beautifully proportioned flavors displaying outstanding richness and perfect acid/fruit balance. Very fine, very long and a Richebourg that delivers finesse rather than power though this is by no means a shrinking violet. In short, this is a complex, long and perfectly balanced effort that has largely reached its apogee.Burghound | 93 BH

Rich and ripe Pinot Noir, black in color, thick in texture, pumping out the flavors. Silky midpalate reveals the pedigree of this wine. Loaded with sweet blackberry character that goes on to a long finish. Drink now through 2010.Wine Spectator | 93 WSBright, deep ruby-red. Complex nose melds violet, bitter chocolate, earth, meat and a hint of medicinal austerity. Dense, rich and thick; a wine of compelling richness and sweetness, but also solidly structured despite its accessibility today. Finishes with lush but firm tannins and exhilarating notes of cassis and violet. Lovely pinot noir.Vinous Media | 92 VM(Gros Frère et Soeur Richebourg Grand Cru Red) Extremely ripe with powerful black fruit, wood toast and Vosne spice aromas with tannic, robust flavors yet good finesse on the long finish. This makes a firm statement and has good size to go with the penetrating fruit. (Drink between 2009-2016)Burghound | 90 BH