Balanced and complex, full bodied yet delicate. Rich mouthfeel and firm bead. Sweet lemon and pit fruit, slightly toasty. Amply acidic. No significant oxidative notes. Sweet aftertaste, with heavier dosage than I remembered.

Young but not too new to open, given the occasion and the meal. Flinty citrus nose and palate, GC density balanced with ample cut. Very good future here.

This far exceeded my expectations. An elegant beast, I can see why it can be controversial given its size. Swirling, smelling and drinking this is like diving into a liquified dark-fruited humidor, with dense sweet tobacco and cedar. Still has years, probably decades before decline.

My concerns this would be too young were unfounded. A nice follow up to the Figeac, this was far more elegant and refined. Dark fruited, pencil lead, and a subtle brown spice note I would have called cedar had the preceding wine not clobbered me with a cigar box. No need to hurry, but no need to wait; this has entered its prime drinking window.

Lucky me, my second bottle of '98 VT this month. A dignified rather than garish CdP, she followed the Bordeaux's with no apologies. Dark slightly gamy berries, iodine, dry brown hillside summertime herbs (props to Chaz for the latter descriptor).

Other than the sediment at the bottom of the bottle that looked like a shrunken shriveled leather wallet, this wine gave no indication of its age. Fresh fruited; dark raspberries and sweet cherries and plums, chocolate, flowers and more. I would have guessed '85 or younger.