This is the finest Cabernet Sauvignon made at this highly respected estate since the 1973 and 1974. The broodingly opaque purple color is followed by a promising bouquet of cassis, smoke, and minerals. Exquisite purity of fruit, immense extraction, and excellent balance make this full-bodied, super-rich Cabernet a sure bet for 20-30 years of cellaring. The well-integrated tannin and whoppingly long finish are impressive. It was kept open for three days without showing a trace of oxidation. Anticipated maturity: 1998-2025.

Rich, cassis-like fruit and extravagant oak combine nicely in a deep, well-proportioned aromas, and the generous flavors feature plenty of solid fruit that is always enriched by forthright oak. a gutsy wine, but never one challenged by excessive toughness or uncontrolled tannin, it finishes with nominal astringency and should develop handsomely for five to ten years.