Wine Spectator: Unctuous and nicely formed already, with juicy apricot, green fig and honey notes. The finish is lush, but with nice cut, showing hints of toasted coconut and almond. Sneakily...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Still in barrel, this Chateau d'Yquem look-alike exhibits powerful creme brulee characteristics along with some volatile acidity, huge, full-bodied, unctuously textured flavor...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Fairly deep gold-tinged color. Superripe aromas of pineapple, cooked apple, honey and white raisin. Huge, thick and three-dimensional; shows a powerfully honeyed character and...

Wine Spectator: Pushes the envelope with its high-toned, dried tropical fruit. Coconut, pineapple, apricot and caramel all hold court. Thickly textured and lively, the flavors segue into an i...

Wine Spectator: Extremely polished and complex, showing beautiful dried herb, grass, honey and pine flavors. Has a long finish, medium body and just-so sweetness. Drink now through 2000.

Wine Spectator: Ultraclean, with apple, vanilla and honey aromas that follow through to a full-bodied palate, medium sweetness and a long, caressing finish. Delicate and balanced. Best after ...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Pale gold. Knockout aromas of creme brulee, coconut, vanilla bean, honey and orange peel. Lush and seductively silky in the mouth; its creamy, seamless texture makes it seem d...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Space limitations preclude including tasting notes.

Neal Martin's Wine Journal: Tasted from a half-bottle at Cordeillan Bages and served blind, this is better than any 75cl bottle that I have tasted. It has a glorious nose of dried apricot, honey and cand...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Slight SO2 and a whiff of licorice on the nose. Fat, oaky and moderately thick; fairly sweet but doesn't offer the shape or depth of flavor of the '97. The finish, though, is ...

Wine Spectator: Superlively, with orange blossom, white cherry, pineapple, apricot and peach flavors all bouncing off one another. The long, piecrust-framed finish lets it all hang together n...

Wine Spectator: This fleshy version displays candied grapefruit peel, quince, petrol and lots of herb and spice notes. Light- to medium-bodied, with tangy acidity and a zesty white pepper not...

Wine Spectator: Pear pie and blanched almond on the nose. Full-bodied and medium sweet, with a subtle spice, honey and sliced apple character. Like sorbet.

About this Wine: "This fine, top drawer, Rothschild owned estate has produced a blockbuster '89 with an intensly perfumed nose, luxuriously rich palate and the ability to age for decades. A wi...

Neal Martin's Wine Journal: Tasted at Hermitage Wines' seminar in Hong Kong. A consistent note compared to the one earlier this year. It has a mature bouquet with mandarin, tangerine, orange rind, lanoli...

Wine Spectator: Really big and rich, with lots of raw date, glazed pear, creamed peach and fig aromas and flavors. Very lush and long, but also clean and round despite its heft. -J.M.

About this Wine: "This fine, top drawer, Rothschild owned estate has produced a blockbuster '89 with an intensly perfumed nose, luxuriously rich palate and the ability to age for decades. A wi...