Wine Spectator
This is still just a baby, offering currant and berries, with dried flowers that turn to subtle cedar and dried fruits. Structured and full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and supersilky texture. This is so tight and powerful, but still backward. The palate builds and builds, with amazing tannins. A little chewy, this needs years still. You can drink it of course, but a waste now.—'89/'99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009).
Wine Spectator
This is a dormant volcano of a wine waiting to explode with fruit. Bubbling over with flowers, blackberries, cherries and chocolate. Full-bodied, very chewy, adding masses of tannins. Long dried cherry, berry aftertaste. Very closed, it needs time; best after 2009.