The best of the First Growth ‘97s. A limpid, garnet/ruby core with ruby rim. The nose is exquisite with great delineation and purity with much more vigour that the other Firsts. Mint, blackberries, violets and blueberries all leap from the glass, oblivious to the fact that they stem from a poor vintage. The palate has a slightly voluptuous feel to it, rounded black fruits, raspberry, cassis, tobacco, graphite and a touch of Asian spice towads the finish. Sheer class. A superb success for Paul Pontallier in a difficult vintage. Drink now-2025. Tasted September 2006.

Medium bodied, elegant, softer style of wine, which is stronger on the nose, with its earthy, cigar box, cherry pipe tobacco, forest aromas and hint of floral notes, than on the lighter fruited palate, which shows its warm, cherry notes, herbs, and wet earth well. Splash decanted, the wine was much better than expected from such a difficult vintage, especially at only a few weeks shy of its 21st birthday. Nov 2017

Medium red-ruby. Confectionary aromas of raspberry, cocoa powder, mocha and sexy oak; more evolved than either the '99 or '98, even considering its extra year of age. Fat, sweet and harmonious; offers lovely balance but just misses out on the density and depth of a great year. Finishes with firm but very suave tannins; this must be one of the longest '97s May 2000

Margaux, which made an outstanding wine in 1995, and a prodigiously monumental wine in 1996, turned out an alluring, soft, delicious 1997 that will offer immediate appeal. The harvest occurred between September 15 and October 2. Fifty percent of the crop made it into the grand vin, which is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. While the administrator, Paul Pontallier, informed me that the 1997 has the same amount of tannin as the 1985, the wines' texture and styles, while not totally different, are dissimilar. The wine exhibits a dense purple color, followed by an open-knit, charming nose of creme de cassis, pain grille, and minerals. In the mouth, the wine reveals beautifully ripe fruit, low acid, a suave, silky texture, remarkable suppleness and complexity for such a young wine, and a round, generous, moderately long finish. This wine will be drinkable when released, but keep for 15-20 years. Think of it as a sweeter, fruitier version of the 1985.

Undoubtedly a success for the vintage, this immensely charming, dark ruby/purple-colored wine exhibits floral, black currant, and smoky, toasty oak aromas. There is admirable richness, excellent ripeness, not a great deal of density, or superb concentration, but plenty of finesse, suppleness, and character. It can be drunk young, or cellared for 12-15 years.

All in finesse, with berry, currant and light vanilla character. Medium- to full-bodied, with silky tannins and a fresh finish. Lovely, long finish. Gorgeous core of fruit in this wine.

Dark crimson right out to the rim. Very Margaux attack (aromatic) with good intensity to begin with but this wine went nowhere in the glass. Fragrant and pretty to begin with it was relatively light on the palate and the fruit seemed to recede in the glass. Difficult to imagine this getting much better and more complex. JR Oct 2007