Merlot

"The appearance is similar to Latour ’97 and in fact the nose seems to have more vigour althought the new oak is not so seamlessly melded. Blackber...

"A sensational effort, and one of the two finest Clinets made before the 2008, this prodigious wine made by the late Jean-Michel Arcaute has always...

"Dark ruby color. Decadent aromas of meat, figs and ripe fruit. Full-bodied, with a very good, compacted, fruity structure and a long, long, ripe f...

"The 1997 Lafite-Rothschild is certainly one of the better First Growths of this somewhat maligned vintage. Gravel, pencil shavings and light tobac...

"The 2006 Château Haut-Brion has a more ostentatious bouquet than the comparatively reserved La Mission: quite feisty blackberry, briary, kirsch an...

"The 1999 Mouton-Rothschild, which Philippe Dhalluin told me was harvested in one week, has a forward, showy bouquet with more upfront black fruit ...

"The 2001 Latour has an exquisite bouquet of blackberry, hints of sloe, cedar and mint, all very complex and beautifully defined. A slight pitted b...

"The 2005 Pichon Baron is in a gorgeous spot right now. Aromatically expressive and open, the 2005 is so expressive. Cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, min...