Wine Spectator: An elegant wine, with a lovely balance of blackberry and tobacco flavors and soft, silky tannins. Not a blockbuster, but well proportioned. Best after 1996. -JS

Stephen Tanzer's IWC: (81% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc, and 9% merlot; pH 3.69; IPT 60; 12.2% alcohol; 76% new oak; a 79% selection): Bright red with a pale rim. Knockout nose of aroma...

Wine Spectator: Loads of smoky, meaty and berry aromas and flavors in this wine. Full-bodied, with lots of berry, tobacco character and a medium-chewy finish that's slightly papery.--1989 Bor...

Wine Spectator: Starts well on the palate but slows down. Lovely aromas of cherry and dark chocolate and hints of earth and vanilla. Full-bodied and velvety, with medium fruit and a medium fi...

Wine Spectator: Big and juicy, with loads of ripe fruit and big velvet tannins. Full, round and gorgeous. Fantastic. Soft with sweeter fruit. Lovely texture. Always a beauty. '89/'90 Bordeaux...

Wine Spectator: Elegant, racy and amazingly complex, this is gorgeously balanced to show off all sorts of flavors, from zingy citrus to delicate herb and hints of honey, smoke and apricot. Se...

Wine Spectator: A great Bordeaux that needs only time to develop. Seductive, with a superb concentration of vanilla, spice, blackberry and cherry aromas and flavors. Has an iron backbone of t...

Wine Spectator: I have always loved this wine. It's a giant, yet also sophisticated and reserved. Still dark-ruby colored, with beautiful aromas of fruits and spices. Full-bodied, with opulen...

Wine Spectator: Displays impressive sweet berry and floral aromas, with hints of cedar and light new oak. Medium- to full-bodied, offering fine tannins and a fresh finish. This wine is just n...

Wine Spectator: Gorgeous aromas of currants, berries and minerals. Full-bodied, with juicy tannins and a long, long fininsh. Same as ever...

Wine Spectator: Shows so much ripe and decadent fruit on the nose, from dried berries and raisin to strawberry and sultana. There is a nutty, cedar undertone as well. Very complex and full-bo...

Wine Spectator: What a nose of pressed flowers and full-throttle dried fruits. Full-bodied, with intense and very ripe fruit that has undertones of dried fruit, raisin and grilled meat. Chewy...

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.--...

Wine Spectator: A young, very modern and sleek '89. Inky color. Wonderful aromas of spices, blackberries, cinnamon and vanilla. Full-bodied, with loads of silky tannins and a long, berry-cher...

Wine Spectator: What a gorgeous, seductive and beautiful wine, as always. I can't get over the perfumed aromas of subtle milk chocolate, cedar and sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, yet so refined a...

Wine Spectator: I don't remember the '88 La Mission as being so wonderfully opulent. It shows fabulous violet, berry and dried fruit aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, with big, velvety tannins...

Wine Spectator: Aromas of currant and sweet tobacco follow through to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A little dusty, but lots of fruit and character.-'88/...

Wine Spectator: Aromas of currant and sweet tobacco follow through to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A little dusty, but lots of fruit and character.-'88/...