92 Wine Advocate

Totally shut down and enclosed, with an impressively saturated purple/black color and a promising but tightly strung nose of mineral, vanilla, espresso, black cherry and currant, this wine has beautiful purity, medium to full body, relatively high but sweet tannin, and a long 30-35 second finish. The wine is very firm but impressive as well as promising. Patience please! (RP) (1/2003)

91 International Wine Cellar

Very good saturated ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of black cherry, chocolate and licorice; more crystallized than cooked fruit-as the heat in '95 was not quite like that of 1990, according to Valette. Velvety and chocolatey in the mouth, with very sweet, port-like flavors verging on raisiny. Has the chewy extract to buffer its 13.9% alcohol. Quite perfumed in the mouth, though still a bit tired by the bottling. A huge wine that finishes with substantial but harmonious tannins. (ST) (5/1998)

90 Wine Spectator

Aromas of violet, berries and cedar follow through to a full-bodied palate, with firm tannins and a medium finish. The fruit is still tied up in knots. Give it time. (JS) (3/2007)

Jancis Robinson

Earthy and rich, but with a certain degree of restraint too. Classic and complex, with a lovely stage of maturity on display, although the tannins are still quite keen. 17/20 points (RH) (10/2014)