Château Larmande 1998

This wine is initially tight, but with airing, aromas of licorice, spice box, berries, herbs, and leather emerge. It is a medium to full-bodied, well-made, attractive, well-structured effort. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2015.

Subtle aromas of blackberry, tar and licorice follow through to a full-to-medium body, with soft and velvety tannins and a medium finish. Still dense and tight. Give it a little more time. -- '88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Best after 2010. 7,915 cases made.

Very dark purple, with gently violet highlights. Stunning stewed-fruit bouquet, very ripe fruit, slightly perfumed, almost intoxicating in its overall aromatic expression. Explosive, rich palate, very expressive, with an immense interplay of blue- and red-berry fruit, blackberry notes in the long yet quite refined finish. Among the elite.

99: Barrel sample (17/20): Very dark purple with gentle violet highlights. Stunning “Rumtopf” aroma; very ripe fruit, but also somewhat perfumed and almost intoxicating in its overall bouquet. Explosive, rich palate, very expressive, radiating a huge interplay of blue and red berry fruit, with a touch of blackberry on the long, yet quite refined finish. Among the elite. Unfortunately, after bottling, two samples showed the wine to be unclean, with firm, bitter-edged tannins. Something seems to have gone wrong here between the en primeur sample and bottling. 15/20 2003 – 2012

Sweet, fruity, lush, full bouquet with strawberries and blackcurrant. Fruity, full, velvety palate with good fruit and fine tannins. Very long finish. 18/20 2006 - 2020

Deep red colour. Good intensity. Purple hues. Nose of medium intensity. Very fruity. Fresh. A wine full of flesh and fresh fruit, very impeccably built, round and seductive. The tannins are well integrated and the finish is much less oaky than 97 at this stage. Lovely.