($375-$400) Good full, deep red. Sexy aromas of mocha, tobacco and milk chocolate, with a suggestion of roasted nuts. Suave, fine-grained and sappy, with lovely vinosity in the context of this heatwave vintage. Redcurrant and milk chocolate flavors linger impressively on the finish, which shows noteworthy energy and length, with sweet tannins. With its high percentage of 55% cabernet franc, this was very closed at the beginning, notes Berrouet, but is now "more human." But today I don't find enough complexity to merit an even higher score.

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Pretty pale. Warm and lightly spicy nose. Is this the famous cashmere tannins vintage? The tannins are indeed well managed but there just doesn’t seem to be enough on the mid palate here. A bit jagged. Definitely need to wait for this to mellow but it doesn’t seem a triumph at this stage.

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The 2003 Cheval Blanc, a tiny production of 5,000 cases, was bottled early to protect its delicate style. It is a light to medium-bodied, superficial, but seductive effort offering notes of cherries, herbs, smoke, and new oak. It possesses moderate depth as well as exceptional elegance and finesse. I suspect enough of its noble terroir comes through to please this estate's fans. Obviously, the vintage's severe heat and drought did not benefit Cheval Blanc's lighter, gravelly soils. This fragrant 2003 is best consumed over the next 12-14 years.

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Blackberry, mineral and lightly toasted oak. Subtle and complex. Full-bodied, with wonderfully sweet fruit character and ultrarefined tannins. Goes on and on. Gorgeous and seductive.

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