772 | Wine | 1999, 1.5 L

"A perfumed bouquet of flowers, jammy cassis, sweet oak, and truffles jumps from the glass of this ripe, classic, mid-weight claret. The wine is elegant rather than powerful. It possesses intense fruit, admirable ripeness as well as balance, and a long finish." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Pure but reticent aromas of minerals and spices, with a deep woodsy sweetness. Then dense, lush and silky but youthfully backward. This powerfully minerally, spicy wine boasts fruit of steel. Finishes with big, broad, strong tannins and great length and grip." Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer.

"The wine exudes notable complexity in its dried apricots, peaches, baking spices, roasted nuts, ash, freshly baked cinnamon rolls and sweet toasted oak. This is a soft, creamy style of Champagne backed up with impressive structure. The oak notes are rather prominent at first, but then recede somewhat with air. Readers who prefer wines with less overt oak influence will probably enjoy some of the other releases more."