1998 Bordeaux Blend Wine from France

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points: The 1998 Angélus, a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc and 60% Merlot, is deep garnet colored with a touch of brick. The nose is completely...WOW! It has an incredible array of smoked meats, incense, cigar box and dusty earth...

jamessuckling.com, 99 points: A super-silky red with notes of stone, limestone, cedar and plum. Full-bodied but so polished. The length and complexity are amazing. Just opening now.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: The 1998 Bahans Haut-Brion is deep garnet-brick in color with a very serious nose of crème de cassis, baked blackberries and blueberry fruits with hints of earth, meat, menthol and thyme. The palate is medium to...

Wine Spectator, 92 points: A subtle yet rich Pomerol. Gorgeous with intense aromas of black licorice berry and black olive. Full-bodied with superfine tannins and a long long finish...

Vinous, 91 points: The 1998 Branaire Ducru, a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 40% Merlot with 12.95° alcohol. It has a clear dark ruby colour. The bouquet demanded some encouragement from the glass, eventually revealing...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: The 1998 Calon-Ségur, blended of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, is deep garnet-purple in color with just a touch of brick and a very earthy/meaty nose with notions of new...

Wine Spectator, 95 points: Wonderful aromas of ripe fruit Indian spices and mineral. Full-bodied with fine tannins and a plush structure that caresses every inch of your palate. Really fine and fabulous. Much better than from barrel. Best ever from...

Wine Spectator, 89 points: Blackberry, sweet tobacco and citrus fruit on the nose. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a fruity finish. A little tight still, but impressive for the vintage. Very pretty and better than I remember.—'88/'98 Bordeaux...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 90 points: This has become one of the finest second wines produced. The 1998 (a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon 33% Merlot 4.5% Cabernet Franc and 1.5% Petit Verdot) is an outstanding effort. While very Lafite-like (although more...

Wine Spectator, 98 points: Black truffles, with intense ripe blackberry and black cherry. Superperfumed. Very spicy, with brown sugar and meaty undertones. Full-bodied, with supertight, powerful tannins and a long and rich finish. This is a weight...

Jancis Robinson's Purple Pages, 95 points: Minerals and savour and sappiness. Certainly nothing as simple as fruit! Although in this vintage Latour does not outshine the others as obviously as in some more recent years. Really sappy perfume. Great rich spread...

Vinous, 90 points: Very good medium-deep ruby. Cherry mint and a floral note on the nose. Creamy-sweet and nicely concentrated with mineral and herbal notes giving the wine a firm spine and good cut. Rather tightly wrapped today. The subtle...