91 points - Wine & Spirits
91 points - Wine Spectator
91 points - Wine Spectator
"Dark purple-red; a wine which continues that high-toned, lusciously aromatic fruit of the '96, with some cedary oak. There is plenty of weight and stuffing to the palate, where cassis and vanilla intermingle, rounded off with lingering tannins."
92 points - James Halliday
"Ruby-red. Vinous, captivating aromas of blackberry, wild plum, currant, roast coffee and mocha, with subtle rather than overwhelming evidence of American oak. Concentrated, harmonious and quite suave; at once velvety and nicely delineated thanks to ripe, well-integrated acidity. Finishes with substantial ripe tannins and excellent length."
91 points - Stephen Tanzer's Int'l Wine Cellar