Wine Spectator: This is fresh and engaging, with firm but lively singed alder and apple wood notes framing a core of plum, red currant and steeped black cherry fruit. Offers pepper and tobacc...

Wine Spectator: Shows high-toned cherry, tobacco leaf, grilled herb and lightly mulled spice notes. Very formed already, with a lingering dusty finish as the herb note peeks out more and more...

Wine Spectator: This is riveting, with terrific tarry grip coursing underneath layers of smoldering bay leaf, warm plum confiture, freshly brewed espresso, dark cassis and well-steeped black ...

Wine Spectator: Massive and concentrated, if a bit angular and tightly wound, with chewy, chunky leather, pencil lead, currant and herbal flavors that are framed by rugged tannins. Needs time...

Wine Spectator: Dark, intense and deeply concentrated, with a sharp, tight beam of currant, blackberry and cherry, complex and spicy. The tannins are woven in, giving it seamless texture, and...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Of all the extraordinary wines emanating from California in recent years, one of the most remarkable achievements must be the...

Wine Spectator: This delivers a slightly chewy-edged feel, with charcoal and roasted alder hints holding sway over the core of steeped damson plum, black currant and anise notes. Shows grip t...

Wine Spectator: Blackberry, currant and mineral lead to a medium-to-full body, with ripe tannins and a caressing finish. Balanced and pretty. Best after 2013. 13,885 cases made. -JS

Wine Spectator: A big, broad-shouldered style, with lots of bittersweet cocoa and coffee up front, followed by thick-textured blackberry and black currant fruit. Shows a bit more brute force ...

Wine Spectator: This is lavishly oaked, with dark espresso, mocha and bittersweet cocoa notes proudly leading the way, while the core of fig sauce, melted licorice snap and blackberry confitu...

Wine Spectator: Breathtaking aromas of crushed blackberries, dark chocolate and cassis. Full-bodied, with big and velvety tannins and intense fruit. Long finish. Massive. But polished and ver...

Wine Spectator: Gorgeous kirsch and mocha aromas lead the way for this silky, alluring version, loaded with raspberry ganache, fruitcake, melted red licorice and graphite notes. The long, sil...

Wine Spectator: A very fine '96, but what else would you expect from Cheval-Blanc? Medium- to full-bodied, with a good deep-ruby color, this has aromas of freshly crushed blackberry, fine tan...

Wine Spectator: Dark in profile and rather stolid, with a beam of currant, plum and fig allied to a prominent iron shaft that clamps down on the charcoal-textured finish. Showing rather auste...

Wine Spectator: Blackberry, mineral and lightly toasted oak. Subtle and complex. Full-bodied, with wonderfully sweet fruit character and ultrarefined tannins. Goes on and on. Gorgeous and sed...

Wine Spectator: Good color. Tanned leather, earth and ripe fruit. Medium- to full-bodied, with herbs and berries. Slight dilution in the center palate.Outstanding, but not a classic Cheval.--...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Inky purple. Heady, explosive aromas of black raspberry and blueberry preserves, garrigue and incense, with smoky mineral and anise accents. Lush and palate-coating, offerin...

Wine Spectator: Blackberry and violets on the nose, with hints of roses. Sweet tobacco too. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and round tannins. A little tight and reserved now. Give it...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is an outstanding wine that is close in quality to the 1992 and 1991. The 1993 boasts an opaque purple color, as well as a sweet, s...

Wine Spectator: This is beautiful on the nose with currants, berries and flowers. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and pretty fruit. Needs a bit more fruit on the midpalate to be a classic Mar...