Chateau Pape Clement 1998

WINE SPECTATOR: " An amazing nose of sweet tobacco, orange peel, cigar box and exotic fruit. Lots of tar too. Full-bodied, with exotic and spicy flavors that are slightly decadent and funky, but wild and wonderful, from leather to dried fruits. Just a baby, too. Give this more age. -- '88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2013. 7,080 cases made."

WEINWISSER: "Sattes, tiefes Purpur, undurchdringlich, feiner Rand aussen. In der Nase traumhaftes, ausladendes, nach Amarenakirschen, Feigen, Tabak, Zedernholz und Malz duftendes Bouquet, opulent, ohne zu mastig zu wirken, trockene Feigen, Tawny-Port, Kandis, Darjeelingtee. Charmanter, bereits angerundeter, wiederum sehr fülliger Gaumen, Baumnussaromen, Kaffeetouch, wieder viel Dörrfrüchte, Jod-Torf, Tabak, viel Stoff, intensiver, warmer Ausklang, Vanilleextrakt, feine, aber nicht störende Trockenheit im Finale, feminin und verspielt."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Deep garnet with a ruby rim. Very glamorous concentration of fruit counterbalanced by appetising freshness. Tannins completely resolved. Served blind, I took it for a Pomerol (I think Michel Rolland would have been the consultant winemaker). Luscious. A very flattering success!"

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A prodigious effort from Pape Clement, this wine is smokin'! It boasts a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a terrific nose of charcoal, blackberries, cassis, tobacco, minerals, and spice. This brilliantly-focused, medium to full-bodied 1998 already reveals a boatload of complexity as well as a remarkably long finish. A large-sized effort for this estate, it exhibits a sweet mid-palate and ripe tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2025. Bravo!"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "The first vintage of Pape Clement with the stamp of Bernard Magrez is probably drinking at close to its peak today, with a tobacco, cherry, earth, smoke and truffle nose. The wine starts soft on the palate, but there is a dusty, rough note in the finish that is a little harsh. Still, the spicy, dark fruits and cocoa in the end are quite nice. There is probably no real hurry to drink this wine, but I am not sure it needs more age."