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: Delivers cooked berries, with light cream aromas that turn to tobacco and cedar. Full-bodied, featuring big, yet well-integrated tannins and a chewy finish. Needs time still t...

Wine Spectator: Delivers sweet tobacco and plum aromas, with a lovely richness. Full-bodied, featuring lots of cedar, tobacco, chocolate and berry character. Long and silky in the palate. The...

Wine Spectator: Subtle and very perfumed with floral, currants, minerals and berry aromas with a hint of toasted barrels. Medium- to full-bodied, with an outstandingly refined core of fruit a...

Wine Spectator: Gorgeous aromas of berry, currant and exotic spices, especially cinnamon. Medium- to full-bodied, with layers of silky tannins and ripe berry and raspberry on the palate. An o...

Wine Spectator: Refined and creamy, with delicate acidity that finds fine balance with the layers of poached apple and pear, lemon cake, ground ginger, smoke and almond cream flavors. Very el...

Wine Spectator: Firm and structured, with spicy currant, herb, dill and berry, picking up a cedary lead pencil edge. Finishes with a firm, rich core of flavors and tight tannins. Cabernet Sau...

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

Wine Spectator: A subtle, elegant, understated style, very Bordeaux-like in its range of flavors, with rich currant, anise and a hot brick wall of earthiness. The tannins are still big and ch...

Wine Spectator: Very solid, with an excellent core of fruit and chewy tannins, but not too aggressive. Full body. Medium finish. Well done. -J.S.

Wine Spectator: This is a forgotten Pétrus. Good dark color, with lovely plum and light raspberry aromas. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a fresh, fruity finish. A beauty. Fresh and long....

Wine Spectator: Fantastic aromas of black licorice and sweet tobacco change to raspberries and follow through to a full-bodied palate, with lovely silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. ...

Wine Spectator: A complete, elegant wine, playing ripe cherry and berry flavor against the toasty vanilla overtones of oak, it's round and smooth, opening out into a lovely finish. Persistent...

Wine Spectator: Pretty blackberry, cherry and licorice aromas follow through to a full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a smoke-, berry- and chocolate-flavored finish. A pretty wine. T...

Wine Spectator: Fruity, deep and firm, filled with plum and cherry, backed by youthful, stiff tannins. Needs time for complexity to develop. Try in 1995.--Lafite Rothschild vertical.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: ...Sweet scents of red and black fruits, spicy oak, roasted herbs, toast, and vanilla jump from the glass. The wine possesses full body, great fruit extraction, plenty of glyc...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: Very ripe pineapple fruit aroma lifted by powdered stone, minerals and an exhilarating violet nuance. Big, rich and fat with exotic peachy fruit. Shows a softer texture and le...

Wine Spectator: Perhaps not as powerful as expected but the pure flavors are impressive. Wonderful berry, raspberry and cherry character, full body and silky tannins. Drink now.--The Bordeaux...

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: ($160) Saturated ruby-red. Tangy blackcurrant and blackberry on the nose, along with an exotic smoky note. Dense, sweet and pliant, with lovely subtle oakiness. Impressively c...

Wine Spectator: This is rounded and pure, with red and black currant, black tea, roasted apple wood and sanguine notes all gliding through the supple, focused finish. Not big, but has balance...