($265-$350) Good bright ruby-red. Subdued but pure aromas of plum, flowers, licorice, menthol and Asian spices. Suave on entry, then dry and tight in the middle; extremely backward and shut down. Most impressive now for its finesse of texture. But today there's little sign of the fleshiness the wine showed in the spring after the harvest. Lock this one away for a while and forget about it. This vintage has more cab franc than merlot.

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Pretty dark crimson. Low key, but convincing scent. Actually surprisingly animal on the nose, then a little raw on the palate. Although this is not tarted up, I'm not really convinced about this wine. Rather awkward - does it show the weaknesses of the vintage a bit too obviously, or perhaps this is just a teenage stage?

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Eighty thousand bottles of 2004 Cheval Blanc were produced from a blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot. Subtle herb, menthol, cranberry, black currant, and licorice aromas emerge from this dark ruby/plum-colored wine. It is medium-bodied and elegant with plenty of sweet fruit, but not a lot of weight or intensity. The complexity and nobility of Cheval Blanc's gravelly terroir is apparent in this delicate, subtle St.-Emilion. Give it a few years to develop additional aromatics, and drink it over the following 12-15.

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Intense aromas of tar, blackberry and wet earth, with just a hint of tobacco and flowers. Full-bodied, chewy and long. Extracted, yet turns caressing and velvety in texture. Broad-shouldered and muscular for this estate. Better than the 2000. 3,500 cases made.

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Disappointing. Nice nose but a slight "sour" vinegar taste. Waited a long time to open this one...