Robert Parker – 90

Tasted at Christies’ boardroom dinner. A very similar showing to last year, this is a lovely Cheval Blanc with an expressive, open-knit nose, again more merlot-driven than cabernet franc with tertiary fruit inflecting the red-berried fruits with just a touch of mulberry and fresh fig. The palate is full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, touches of tar, orange rind and more dried herbs/cigar box coming through towards the finish. It does not have the bitterness that last year’s bottle showed, but I had forgotten how opulent and ravishing it tasted. Drink now-2018. Tasted May 2009. [Neal Martin, 01/05/2009]

Anticipated maturity: 2009-2018