Vinous - Score: 89 (1998 July)

Light copper color. Oily, pungent, expressive aroma dominated by pineapple syrup; a slightly dank quality quickly dissipated. Thick, resiny and intensely spicy in the mouth, though still rather tightly wound; deeper-pitched and honeyed, with an unusually velvety texture for this wine. Finishes slightly harsh, with a suggestion of phenolics and a bit of heat, plus a sweet note of toffee.