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Aromas of peat and fruits, with hints of cedar and berries. Full and velvety with good fruit and a medium finish. Goes mushroomy. A little light.James Suckling | 91 JS

A terrific wine for the vintage, Latour’s 1993 reveals an opaque purple color, a backward, cedar, black walnut, cassis, and earth-scented nose, medium to full body, gorgeously rich, concentrated fruit, moderately high tannin (but no astringency), and a sweet, long, powerful finish. The wine does not possess any of the vegetal, green pepper characteristics of the vintage, nor any hint of hollowness or harshness. This wine may prove to merit an even higher rating. Is this vintage the modern day clone of the 1967 and 1971? Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025. Last tasted 1/97Robert Parker | 90 RPSlightly oxidized with a coffee and spice character, as well as fruit. Medium body. Tea, tobacco and some fruit.James Suckling | 90 JS

After less than persuasive performances in two potentially great years, 1989 and 1990, Mouton-Rothschild appears to have settled down, producing fine efforts in recent vintages, culminating with the enormously promising, unquestionably profound 1995. The 1993 is a beautifully made wine which could be considered a sleeper of the vintage. The wine boasts a dark purple color, followed by a sweet, pain grillee, roasted nut, and cassis-scented bouquet that is just beginning to open. In the mouth, the wine may not possess the body and volume of a vintage such as 1990 or 1989, but there is more richness of fruit, a sweet, ripe, pureness to the wine, as well as medium body and outstanding balance. This moderately tannic, well-focused, surprisingly rich 1993 is capable of 15-20 years of evolution. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2015.Readers should note that this wine comes with two labels. The original label, with its delicate yet unprovocative portrait nude of a pre-teenager by Balthus, was banned as a result of protests from America’s neo-puritans. What has resulted is considerable speculation in the original label, which is selling at $50 more than the blank creamy white-colored label that is "officially" sported by those bottles of Mouton-Rothschild imported to America. Although Mouton-Rothschild can be among the most inconsistent first-growths, when this estate gets everything right, the wine can be as compelling as any produced in Bordeaux.Robert Parker | 90 RPMouton comes through again. Impressive ’93, deep in color and full-bodied, boasting plenty of currant, black cherry, mint and toast character. Well crafted, showing depth for this vintage. Give the tannins some time to mellow. Try in 2000.Wine Spectator | 90 WSMouton’s great winemaking comes to the fore in this wine in the face of the difficult year of 1993. It’s a surprisingly substantial Bordeaux for such a wet growing season, even now displaying strong blackberries and mint flavors. Full-bodied with tannins that are just coming around.James Suckling | 90 JS1993 was not a great year, with rainfall in September spoiling what had looked like a very fine vintage. The 1993 Mouton is perhaps better known for the controversial label by Balthus. 1993 Mouton was a surprise in this line-up, tasted last, with plenty of stuffing and a fine balance between plump red/black fruit, smoky oak, fine tannins, a fine line of acidity and complex spicy characters. Very nicely mature, this is not going to improve greatly but it can be drunk over the next 3-5 years. Harvested 23 September to 10 October. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc. (Drink between 2021-2025)Decanter | 90 DEC

Tasted at the Château Palmer vertical in London, the magnum of 1993 Château Palmer was tasted blind and turned out to be the biggest, pleasant surprise of the vertical. It has a well-defined nose: red berries, sage and a hint of fennel, expressive and terroir-driven. It gains intensity in the glass. The palate is very well defined with red cherry and cranberry on the entry, giving way to cedar and sous-bois on the autumnal, very "classic" finish. I was not the only one bowled over by the quality of this wine, shocked when its vintage was revealed. Having never tasted it before, it constitutes one of the finest Left Bank wines that I have tasted from the somewhat disregarded 1993 vintage. Tasted May 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM

Good medium color, less saturated than the ’95. Pungent, vibrant aromas of sappy berries and resiny oak, with an intriguing floral nuance. At once thick and polished on the palate, with an herbal, peppery complexity. Very long, subtle aftertaste, with some vanillin oak and a slight tannic edge. Not quite as ripe or seamless as the ’95, but a very classy, intensely flavored wine that should put on weight in bottle.Vinous Media | 92 VM

As I have indicated in previous Bordeaux reports, this estate is one of the up and coming stars of Pomerol. The well-situated vineyard adjacent to Petrus is capable of producing splendid wines, and, in fact, has done so since the 1990 vintage. Moreover, Gazin has been especially consistent in Bordeaux’s more difficult years (i.e., 1992 and 1993). This opaque ruby/purple-colored, lavishly-oaked wine displays a huge, cedary, cassis, smoky, roasted meat-scented nose, unctuously-textured, chewy, thick flavors, and considerable power and richness in the muscular, moderately tannic finish. This big, impressively-structured Pomerol will require patience. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2018.Robert Parker | 90 RPVery good medium-deep color. Floral, somewhat high-toned aroma of crushed berries, licorice, smoke, chocolate and coffee. Smooth and flavorful in the mouth, with a lovely velvety texture and the density of the vintage. Finishes with a lingering, iron-like sweetness and fine tannins. A gently styled Pomerol, with no shortage of grip.Vinous Media | 87-90 VMRipe, rich and powerful. Full-bodied, with plenty of velvety tannins and a long finish. Slightly coarse now, but will mellow with age. Try in 1999.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A luscious Lafite that is silky and elegant with layers of wonderful violet, berry, cherry and chocolate flavors. It’s full-bodied, with racy, refined tannins and good length. Drinkable now, but best from 1999 and through another decade. 18,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSBecause Lafite-Rothschild (1) tends to lack the weight of many wines of the northern Medoc, and (2) is never a flashy, ostentatious style of wine, it is often more difficult to evaluate when young than some of its neighbors. Made from nearly 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine is stubbornly backward, unappealing, and severe and astringent on the palate. There is plenty of weight, and the wine possesses admirable purity, with no suggestion of herbaceousness or underripe fruit, but the wine’s personality refuses to be coaxed from the glass. The 1994 Lafite may turn out to be austere and disappointing flavor-wise, but possesses a fabulous set of aromatics (does that sound reminiscent of the 1961, another Lafite that was primarily Cabernet Sauvignon?). I am not giving up on this wine, but purchasers should be willing to wait 15-20 years before pulling a cork. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.Robert Parker | 90 RPThe 1994 Lafite-Rothschild is a vintage that I have not tasted for some time. Poured blind, it has a healthy colour with modest signs of aging on the brick rim. Since this is 99.5% Cabernet Sauvignon (I always thought it was 100%!) it is dominated by classic aromas associated with that variety: undergrowth and tobacco, just a touch of graphite. Like the 1961, I actually miss the Merlot component because the wine does feel a little two-dimensional. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. That tannins are coarser than recent vintages, and there is a little hardness on the finish that would have been mollified by the Merlot, but this stocky Lafite-Rothschild is still going strong. Just partner it with the right dish rather than drink on its own. Tasted at the Lafite-Rothschild 150th anniversary dinner at the estate.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Drunk from magnum, the 1994 Latour is showing brilliantly, bursting with aromas of dark fruits, English walnuts, cigar wrapper, loamy soil and woodsmoke. Medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, it’s layered and concentrated, with sweet tannins, succulent acids and a long, sapid finish. The wine of the vintage in Bordeaux, I just wish I owned a case.Robert Parker | 94 RPVery deep ruby-red. Pungent, inky, nutty aromas of blackcurrants and minerals; very sexy oak treatment gives the nose a wonderful sweetness. Big, minerally, and shapely, with lovely purity of dark berry flavor. Has clarity and grip, but not quite the richness of the ’95. The tannins build in the glass, but are in harmony with the wine’s middle palate material. Uncanny length for the vintage.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMClassic Cabernet style. Intense aromas of plums and cherries, with hints of new wood. Full-bodied, with juicy and ripe tannins and a long finish. Very well-structured.--Latour vertical. Best after 2003.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

I loved this wine from the moment I tasted it from barrel in 1995. This is showing beautifully. Balanced and refined, with silky tannins and a long, long finish. Medium-bodied, with chocolate, berry and mineral flavors. Wonderful and subtle. Will improve with age too.--Le Pin non-blind vertical. Drink now. 500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSTasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 1994 Le Pin has always been one of Jacques Thienpont’s great successes. It has a broody nose of mulberry, cola, tobacco, mint and undergrowth that feels just a little static at first, but begins to loosen up in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp and focused, fully mature but with more than enough freshness, segueing into a structured and lightly spiced finish with dry tobacco lingering on the aftertaste. There is weight and intention here, a Pomerol undiminished by time and a quite brilliant wine in the context of the vintage. The 1994 is the "insiders’ choice." Tasted December 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMVery good deep red. Intensely spicy blackberry, black raspberry, licorice and violet aromas reminiscent of Vosne-Romanée. Creamy and thick in the mouth, but strong extract gives the fruit an urgent quality and very good freshness. Quite solidly structured for this wine. Finishes very long and subtle.Vinous Media | 91-94 VM

This largely forgotten vintage seems to have turned the corner in the last year or two. Because of strict selections made at the top chateaux, the wines always had density, but the level of tannin was frequently too high, and the type of tannin was more green and astringent. Chateau Margaux’s 1994 has always been one of the candidates for the “wine of the vintage.” The wine still has a dense plum/purple color and a big, sweet nose of black fruits intermixed with licorice, camphor, vanilla, and a hint of flowers. The wine is dense and powerful, but the tannins have softened and do not seem as hard and intrusive as they did in the late nineties. This wine will last for decades and hopefully become even more seamless, although it is hard to believe all the tannin will gradually dissipate. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025. Last tasted, 10/02.Robert Parker | 91+ RPVery good bright red-ruby color. Sappy, very floral nose hints at toasty oak. Sweet, supple. smooth and oaks in the mouth. A very consistent though fairly tannic wine without the grip or structure of the ’95. In fact, tasted after the ’95, this seemed much oakier and even a bit monolithic.Vinous Media | 90-91 VMNot a big Margaux, this is all in refinement. Pretty aromas of berries, raspberries and toasted oak and warm flavors that build on your palate. Medium-bodied, with fine, well-integrated tannins and a caressing finish. Better in 1999.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

There can be no doubt that 1994 is generally a vintage to be forgotten for Bordeaux, particularly for the Left Bank. Incessant rain from mid-September caused huge problems in the vineyards and ultimately dilution in the wine. Though appellations such as Pomerol were spared the worst, I was surprised to find a wine from the Médoc so appealing from this year. It showed red spices such as cloves and dried mushrooms on the nose, leading to a medium body, firm tannins and a long finish. It was still pretty and fine, and you might describe it as real claret. I stumbled across it in London just before coming to Bordeaux, and later this afternoon I will be barrel tasting the 2014 release from Montrose. I’m sure it will be the better year ending in a four!James Suckling | 92 JSMontrose has been one of Bordeaux’s most consistently successful chateaux since 1989. An opaque purple color suggests a wine of considerable intensity. One of the most successful 1994s of the northern Medoc, the wine’s closed aromatics offer jammy black fruits, plums, spice, and earth. On the palate, there is impressive extract, purity, and copious amounts of sweet blackcurrant fruit nicely balanced by moderate yet ripe tannin. Medium-bodied, with excellent to outstanding concentration, this impressive Montrose should be close to full maturity with another 4-5 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2020.Robert Parker | 91 RPBrooding, roasted nose is quite enticing; faint note of damp earth. Lush, sweet black fruit in the mouth; has a glyceral, mouthfilling texture. Lingering finish, with thoroughly ripe, even tannins. A lovely ’94.Vinous Media | 91 VM

This is still youthful in appearance with dark ruby color. It sets an excellent example for the 1994 vintage with a spicy, toasty nose showing lots of black currants and tar. It’s full-bodied, refined and chewy. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JSAfter less than persuasive performances in two potentially great years, 1989 and 1990, Mouton-Rothschild appears to have settled down, producing fine efforts in recent vintages, culminating with the enormously promising, unquestionably profound 1995. The 1994 appears to be the finest Mouton-Rothschild made following the 1986 and before the 1995’s conception. The wine exhibits a dense, saturated purple color, followed by a classic Mouton nose of sweet black fruits intermingled with smoke, pain grillee, spice, and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, with outstanding concentration, a layered feel, plenty of tannin, and rich, concentrated fruit, this wine is similar to the fine 1988. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025. By the way, the Dutch artist, Appel, has created a gorgeous label for the 1994. Although Mouton-Rothschild can be among the most inconsistent first-growths, when this estate gets everything right, the wine can be as compelling as any produced in Bordeaux.Robert Parker | 91 RPDark-colored, with intense aromas of blackberries, tar and spice, and toasted oak notes as well. Full-bodied, with very silky tannins and a chewy, ripe fruit-accented finish. An impressive Mouton. Better in 1999.Wine Spectator | 91 WS1994 Mouton Rothschild: Sexy smoky, gingery oak, along with a hint of herbaceousness. Fruity and vinous, with good inner-mouth perfume, but the level of extract seems rather low for this wine. Finishes with slightly harsh tannins and some caramel oak. Lacks real precision and class. Not a strong performance for Mouton.Vinous Media | 88-90 VMThe great Michael Broadbent MW noted ’this is what my friends from across the pond would describe as a proper, classic luncheon claret’. Elegant and lighter on the palate, the fruit character here is more subdued with a cool, leafy edge. Toasty wood and spice notes in evidence but the acidity is more dominant than with the other vintages. Feels just a bit stringy and lean. At its best. Harvested 19 September to 1 October. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2021-2021)Decanter | 90 DEC

Saturated ruby-red. Brilliant nose features kirsch, dark berries, and iron scents, with an overlay of perfumed, spicy oak. Lush, sweet and fragrant in the mouth, with a sappy freshness; clearly made from low yields. Finishes with toothcoating but suave tannins and remarkable persistence; stains the palate with spicy bitter cherry and citric skin flavor. As with the ’94, clearly the best wine in the Moueix portfolio on this day.Vinous Media | 93-96 VMAfter several uninspiring efforts between 1978 and 1988, it is irrefutable that Christian Moueix and his flagship estate, Petrus, have rebounded with a vengeance, producing a bevy of extraordinary wines, even in rain-plagued vintages such as 1992 and 1993. Opaque purple/black in color, with a sweet vanilla, pain grillee, jammy cherry and cassis-scented nose, this full-bodied, densely packed wine reveals layers of flavor, and an inner-core of sweetness with huge quantities of glycerin and depth. A tannic, classic style of Petrus, with immense body, great purity, and a backward finish, this wine requires a decade of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2035.Robert Parker | 93 RPWonderfully rich and concentrated, with milk chocolate, berry and floral aromas, loads of fruit flavors and soft, round tannins. Full-bodied and has good length. A great wine for the vintage, but then, what do you expect from Pétrus? Better from 1999 on, but inviting now. 3,200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Extremely intense aromas of dried lemons, apples, limes and chalk. Full body, wonderful depth of fruit and density with bright acidity and a layered and rich palate. Yet remains vivid and fresh. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JS(aged for nine years in American oak barrels and then held in bottle for a minimum of eight years before release) Brilliant red. A highly complex, expansive bouquet evokes cherry liqueur, pipe tobacco, incense, vanilla and woodsmoke, accompanied by hints of five-spice powder and licorice in the background. Sweet, expansive and seamless in texture, offering intense cherry-vanilla, spicecake and rose pastille flavors that deepen slowly as the wine opens up. Fully mature but with plenty of life left in it, this wine finishes impressively long, supple and sweet, displaying discreet tannins, resonating spiciness and suave florality. I reviewed this wine five years ago and am very happy to say that it has improved with additional bottle age.Vinous Media | 95 VM

This is, to date, the greatest Vintage Port ever from here. It overwhelmed me years ago when I tasted it from barrel, but only now is it crossing gradually into its drinking window. The intensity is still mind-boggling here, with sweet-and-sour notes as well as mounds of clay. There are violets lurking somewhere too. A full-bodied, medium sweet and sublime Vintage Port, showing forest fruits and freshly picked blackberries on the palate in the form of a creamy, focused and tannic texture.James Suckling | 100 JSIn a word, superb. It’s full-bodied, moderately sweet and incredibly tannic, but there’s amazing finesse and refinement to the texture, not to mention fabulous, concentrated aromas of raspberries, violets and other flowers. Perhaps the greatest Taylor ever, it’s better than either the ’92 or the ’70, though it’s very like the ’70 in structure. Best after 2010. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 100 WSThis is very much in the mold of the 1992—maybe slightly less rich but just by a whisker. It’s dense without being heavy, with a beautifully spice-filled and long finish. Flavors of chocolate, mint and plum pudding linger elegantly for a few seconds longer than the ’92. Hold.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEWhen tasting young vintage ports, Taylor is always the most backward. Yet potentially, it has the capability to be the most majestic. This classically made, opaque purple-colored wine is crammed with black fruits (blueberries and cassis). It reveals high tannin and a reserved style, but it is enormously constituted with massive body, a formidable mid-palate, and exceptional length. It is a young, rich, powerful Taylor that will require 10-15 years of aging. Compared to the more flashy, forward style of the 1992, the 1994 has more in common with such vintages as 1977 and 1970. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2045.Robert Parker | 97 RPStill sullen on the nose, the underlying ripeness has more to give. The palate is fine, with linear fruit – not as rich or voluptuous as some, with good definition leading to a firm finish. Not big, but powerful with lovely purity on the finish. Needs time to show at its best. Drinking Window 2029 - 2050.Decanter | 95 DEC(Taylor Fladgate) The 1994 vintage of Taylor is a huge and powerful wine, but it does not possess quite the same vivid freshness of my very favorite vintages in the last several decades. Perhaps this is just a stage that the wine is in today, but amongst the fine troika of vintage Taylors from the 1990s, I have to give a slight nod to the remarkably refined and hauntingly brilliant 1992 Taylor over the larger-scaled 1994. The very powerful bouquet on the ’94 offers up a mix of intense cassis, plum, chocolate, licorice, tar, and a huge base of earth. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and quite closed on the attack, with a huge, rock solid core of fruit, firm, well-covered tannins, great soil inflection, and an impressive brightness on the finish that is not evident on the nose today. If this is simply a dumb stage for the wine, then my score will prove to be conservative. (Drink between 2025-2075)John Gilman | 94 JG

Such a powerful mouthful of wine that after swallowing, it’s almost hard to talk. Explosively aromatic, with jam, tar, licorice and exotic spices, it leads with concentrated fruit, then follows with a sledgehammer of polished tannins that somehow dissolve on the finish, where the fruit reemerges like a rainbow. With a slab of well-aged, chargrilled beef--paradise. Drink now through 2005. 450 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSSaturated ruby. More perfumed, more floral, fruit-driven aromas of blackcurrant, black cherry, black raspberry, mocha and clove; vibrant and youthful. Huge, sensual and deep on the palate, with great creamy depth of flavor. Still a bit youthfully tight but has the structure and concentration to develop over the next decade or two. Great persistence on the finish; huge, dusty, noble tannins coat the entire palate.Vinous Media | 95+ VMA clone of the 1994, the 1995 L’Ermita does not reveal quite the power and density of its older sibling, but that is a tough call ... especially at this age. The color is an opaque purple, and the wine displays more pain grille, grilled jus de viande, blackberry, and floral notes in its aromatics, which seem slightly more evolved than the 1994’s. In the mouth, the 1995 is deep, powerful, and rich, with low acidity, better sweetness and integration of tannin (only when compared to the massive 1994), layers of extract and flavor, and a 40-second finish. It is a remarkable wine with formidable style, intensity, and flavor. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2020.Robert Parker | 94 RP

Flower and berry character, with hints of clove and black pepper. Full-bodied and very rich, with decadent flavors. Oozes with ripe fruit. Goes on and on. Fabulous.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008.Wine Spectator | 96 WSAusone’s extraordinary minerality is present in the 1995, yet there are more aromatics, a richer, more multidimensional palate impression, and a fuller texture - all with the terroir brilliantly expressed. The wine boasts a dense ruby/purple color and an emerging but tightly-knit nose of spring flowers, minerals, earth, and black fruits. Rich, with an opulent texture and surprising sexiness for a young vintage of Ausone, the medium-bodied 1995 displays exquisite balance between its acid, tannin, alcohol, and fruit. Although it is not yet seamless, all the elements are present for an extraordinary evolution in the bottle. This wine will age at a glacial pace for 30-40 years. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2045. Last tasted, 3/01.Robert Parker | 93 RPDeep violet-tinged ruby. Lively cassis, black cherry, tobacco and smoky oak aromas. Lush and dense, though a bit shocked by the bottling. Combines the penetrating, juicy quality and class of previous vintages of this wine with the more opulent texture and suaver tannins craved by so many of today Bordeaux lovers. May well eventually merit a higher score, but will it surpass the ’96?Vinous Media | 92+ VM

As good (better??) than the 2001, the 1995 Monbazillac Cuvee Madame is straight up extraordinary juice that certainly one of the finest dessert wines I’ve ever tasted. A blend of 60% Muscadelle, 40% Sémillon that spent just under three years in new French oak, it offers a heavenly bouquet of orange marmalade, caramelized peach, brioche and honeycomb, a huge, full-bodied, unctuous profile, no weight and a finish that just won’t quiet. If you love sweet wines, I promise, it doesn’t get better. It’s drinking sensationally today, yet I suspect it will have a 50-year lifespan.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDI have applauded recent efforts of this estate, which goes to unprecedented lengths as well as labor to produce the most amazing sweet wines I have ever tasted. Their two new vintages include a perfect 1995 Cuvee Madame and a totally profound regular cuvee of 1995 Monbazillac. I recently had the 1993 Cuvee Madame next to an exceptional bottle of 1989 Chateau d’Yquem. Everyone at the table went ballistic over the 1993 Cuvee Madame. They loved the Yquem, but thought Tirecul la Graviere’s 1993 Cuvee Madame to be the superior wine. Perhaps the tasting should be repeated in 20-30 years to determine if the results would be similar. That being said, there is no doubt in my mind that the 1995 Cuvee Madame is as profound a sweet wine as I have ever tasted. Made from 80-year old vines, harvested grape by grape, and with yields of 12 hectoliters per hectare (under one ton of fruit per acre), this wine boasts a glorious nose of apricot jam, tangerine essence, and subtle spicy oak. With its profound richness, blazingly vivid definition, huge body, viscous thickness (with no heaviness), and finish that lasts for nearly a minute, this nectar constitutes one of the most extraordinary sweet wines I have ever tasted. As is the case with so many of the world’s greatest wines, the production is insignificant. Only 50 six-bottle cases are being imported to the United States.Robert Parker | 100 RP

(a 53/47 blend of cabernet franc and merlot; 13% alcohol; yield of 45 h/h): Bright red. Pure aromas of strawberry, flowers, soy sauce, espresso and minerals. Then clean and straightforward on the palate, with nicely balanced flavors similar to the aromas. Finishes very long and smooth. A very good Cheval Blanc, bigger than the 1996 but perhaps a touch less delineated; choosing between the two amounts to a case of different strokes for different folks. This was a warm year: temperatures during the 1995 growing season were on average 1.5°C higher than the previously recorded annual averages, with a very hot July and August, and the harvest took place early, between September 15 and 28. In fact, only the 1989 and 1990 harvests began earlier.Vinous Media | 93+ VMMedium ruby-garnet edge. Intense aromas of plums, cherries and dark chocolate. Full-bodied and very tight, with supersilky tannins and a long finish. Solid core of fruit. Still holding back.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2009.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA pretty, attractive Cheval Blanc, the 1995 contains a higher percentage of Merlot in the final blend than usual (50% Merlot/50% Cabernet Franc). This wine has not developed as much fat or weight as its younger sibling, the 1996, but it appears to be an outstanding Cheval Blanc with an enthralling smoky, black currant, coffee, and exotic bouquet. Complex, rich, medium to full-bodied flavors are well-endowed and pure, with surprisingly firm tannin in the finish. Unlike the sweeter, riper 1996, the 1995 may be more structured and potentially longer-lived. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2020.Robert Parker | 92 RP

Another extraordinary wine made in a backward vin de garde style, the 1995 Clinet represents the essence of Pomerol. The blackberry, cassis liqueur-like fruit of this wine is awesome. The color is saturated black/purple, and the wine extremely full-bodied and powerful with layers of glycerin-imbued fruit, massive richness, plenty of licorice, blackberry, and cassis flavors, full body, and a thick, unctuous texture. This is a dense, impressive offering from administrator Jean-Michel Arcaute. This wine should continue to improve for another 10-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.Robert Parker | 96 RPVery good deep red-ruby. Rather dumb nose exudes a faint shoe polish aroma. Dense, velvety, soft and mouthcoating; fills those hard-to-reach spots on your palate. Really an outsized wine, with thick, chocolatey fruit and major dusty tannins. But currently monolithic. In France they’d call this "Monsieur Plus.”Vinous Media | 88-92 VMWild aromas of forest fruits, coffee and toasted oak follow through to a rich and decadent palate with full body and a long chewy finish. This still needs time.--’95/’96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2009.Wine Spectator | 92 WS