2 | Wine | 1997

"Offers a stunning aromatic display of jammy black fruits, balsam wood, dried herbs, licorice, and a Provencal/garrigue smell. Some peppery notes even came through. Full-bodied, concentrated, and fat, with high glycerin levels, a chewy, plush, succulent personality, sweet tannin, gobs of fruit, and a long, heady finish." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Brooding, slightly high-toned aromas of spicy kirsch, blackberry and peaty terroir. ...plus a whiff of apple eau de vie. Deep, ripe and silky; not a huge wine but shapely and stylish, with its youthful kirsch and blackberry flavors given shape by ripe framing acidity. Lovely restrained sweetness carries through to the ripely tannic, long finish."

"Lovely aromas of vanilla, cream and almond, with a hint of tropical fruit. Full-bodied and very sweet, yet ripe and balanced, with a lovely, ripe fruit aftertaste."

"A dark, dense, richly flavored wine, with tiers of currant, mint, blackberry, sage and mineral. Packs in lots of stuffing while maintaining a sense of fine balance and elegance. Long and persistent flavors on the finish, with firm yet well-integrated tannins. Could be a long-ager. Honoring its late winemaker and founder Joe Heitz, this is a fairly dramatic youngster made from young vines. No shyness on the price; longtime collectors would do well to check this one out."

"Dense, rich and focused, youthful and concentrated, with hints of maturity on the edge of the core currant, mineral and spicy berry flavors. Wonderful vibrancy and intensity for a wine this age, which only bodes well for the future. A classic. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot."

"A sensational Yquem, 1997 may be this estate's finest effort since 1990. The 1997's light gold color is accompanied a gorgeous perfume of caramel, honeysuckle, peach, apricot, and smoky wood. Full-bodied and unctuously-textured, with good underlying acidity as well as loads of sweetness and glycerin, it looks to be a great vintage for this renowned Sauternes estate.

"Dense, rich and focused, youthful and concentrated, with hints of maturity on the edge of the core currant, mineral and spicy berry flavors. Wonderful vibrancy and intensity for a wine this age, which only bodes well for the future. A classic. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot."

"Black raspberry, red- and blackcurrants and dark chocolate on the nose, plus hints of mint and green tobacco. Juicy, fruit-driven flavors of dark berries and cocoa powder, complicated by a whiff of meat. Offers classic '97 texture and sweetness. Ripe acids carry the fruit. Finishes with firm but smooth tannins and a note of Cuban tobacco." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"Possesses striking detail and depth in a surprisingly generous style for this wine. An inner core of perfumed varietal fruit emerges from the glass, along with expressive aromas of smoke, minerals, mint, flowers and licorice, all of which are woven together with extraordinary elegance. The finish is long, sweet and sublime. Everything about this wine speaks to elegance, but in 1997 Salon is also a pleasure to drink young, unlike the 1996 which remains painfully backward."