MB [***] (7/1999): Like a bad-tempered baby pulled out of its cot by a doting father it was presented on its first birthday prior to a Lafite dinner at Boulestin's in London. Raw and raucous. By the early to mid-1980s, it was hard and very tannic but with good length. At Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' dinner its nose and taste beginning to demonstrate Lafite fragrances, though a touch of astringency. I have just four notes over the past decade: peppery, high-toned; firm, flavoury but dry (Stockholm 1994). In a 'flight' of four Lafite imperiales, spicy, good fruit but raw, very tannic (1996). Yet another imperaile: attractive, enough fruit and in particular enough extract and tannin to cope with black truffle and marscarpone-crusted Brie (Bacchus Society 1997). Most recently, Jamie Guise's last magnum: still deep, rich, lovey; distinctly good, distinctly Lafite- it opened up fragrantly; pretty good yet still very tannic.
 
WA 87 (10/1997): I overrated this wine when it was young, and have not been as pleased with its evolution in the bottle. The wine has retained a cool climate high acidity, giving it a more compressed personality than I had envisioned. The color remains a dark ruby/garnet, but the nose has taken on a more vegetal, earthy note to go along with the new oak and sweet red and black currant personality. The wine's crisp acidity keeps its tannic edge aggressive. There is already some amber at the edge of the wine's color. Anticipated maturity: Now-2012.