WA98: An absolutely staggering vintage for this historic and tiny estate, this 2006 has a huge nose of tropical fruit, including pineapple, as well as a liqueur of minerality, with quince, white citrus, and a hint of subtle toast. Full-bodied, with huge concentration, an almost flinty mouthfeel, zesty acidity, and a monster finish, this is a prodigious Laville Haut-Brion that needs about 10 years of cellaring and should last 30 or more years.

VM93: Brilliant yellow. Wonderfully complex nose melds lime, stone fruits, mint, licorice, resin and saline oyster shell; still c touch of reduction. Sweet and ripe but with excellent energy and purity to its flavors of yellow fruits, minerals, flint baked bread (Masclet did a lot of batonnage with this vintage). Beautifully integrated acidity extends the finish c very ripe and sexy wine. This is outstanding, and perhaps more classically semillon in character than the young 20 but the newer wine offers even greater potential.