The 1989 Bahans Haut-Brion is so good that one wonders why Haut-Brion bothered to produce a second wine in this vintage. More immediate than Haut-Brion itself, the Bahans bursts from the glass with aromas of roasted black fruit, burning embers, Cuban cigar and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, it's charming and expressive, with melting tannins, ripe acids and a long sweet-savory finish. Today, Bahans Haut-Brion is showing better than all the Médoc first growths. - William Kelley