This blew everyone away around the table, and was unquestionably the wine of the night at Haut-Brion. Still fully muscular and youthful, but welcoming, impossible to put down, this is just a gorgeous wine that deserves its elevated reputation. Cigar box, tobacco, incense, graphite, cassis, sandalwood, orange peel, saffron, elongated tannins that keep you fully engaged. 73% new oak for ageing. Jean-Bernard Delmas director.

For my money (and I have some in the cellar), the 1998 Haut-Brion is the finest vintage from this estate between 1989 and 2000, surpassing the 1990. While it remains decidedly youthful at age 25, it is beginning to stir, unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berry fruit, cigar wrapper, loamy soil, pencil shavings and burning embers. Medium-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's layered and elegant, with refined tannins, lively acids and a long, perfumed finish. Exemplifying the ideal of intensity without weight, it enjoys a slight edge over La Mission Haut-Brion in this banner year for both properties. - William Kelley

Lush, velvety layers of blackberries and currants topped with smoke, spice, herbs that coat your palate with seamless layers of fruit. The wine is vibrant, full-bodied, and with 30 minutes of decanting, drinking great. This is probably the best deal for a Haut Brion with bottle age in the market today. Drink from 2025-2050.

A deep garnet core with deep brick rim. The nose is just fantastic, just soars from the glass with brilliant delineation and freshness; black olives, blackberry leaf, blueberry and a touch of iodine. At this stage it has slightly more breeding than the La Mission, although that wine has more immediacy. The palate is awesome: full-bodied, more structure than La Mission, nigh on perfect balance and tension. There is a natural quality to this wine, a beguiling sense of harmony that will ensure that this will become the best Haut Brion since the 1989 (on par with the criminally overlooked 1990.) The finish has a gorgeous suppleness to it: notes of blackberry, cherry liqueur, black olives and a touch of oyster shell. Very long in length. Awesome.

Dark color with decadent aromas of truffles meat ripe berries and tobacco. Turns to sweet crushed berries. Full-bodied with very polished tannins and a berry and mineral aftertaste. The serious tannin structure is still hiding behind the fruit of the wine. Tightly wound and beautiful. Solid as a rock. A classic wine.-'88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2011. -JS

Agreeably approachable, with plump, plummy fruit aromas and accents of blackberry, spice and smoke. The texture is rich and round, with a supple, fleshy feel and suave tannins supporting the wine without astringency. The wine drinks well now while still seeming youthful and fresh, and there is enough substance to suggest that it will age admirably for years to come. There is a strong dominance of Merlot in the blend (59%), and the wine aged in 77% new oak casks until bottling in August of 2000.

The 1998 Haut-Brion is a vintage that has belatedly gained respect. It's simply one of the First Growth's best vintages since the 1989/1990. This bottle shows that it still deserves cellaring. With blackberry, crushed stone, tobacco and perhaps more floral/violet scents than I recall, it is an intense bouquet that does not hold back, yet is delivered with such panache. The palate is medium-bodied but, if anything, appears to have gained weight in recent years. Cedar-infused black fruit, allspice and tobacco, with a subtle marine influence, appear toward the finish. It is a fabulous Haut-Brion that should not be overlooked. Tasted at the Lia's Wings/book dinner at Medlar restaurant. -- Neal Martin