A terrific value for the vintage, this dense ruby/purple-colored 1998 reveals notes of coffee, mocha, black cherries, and smoke. Fleshy, with a fine texture as well as full body, this is a delicious, hedonistic wine to drink over the next 4-5 years. Value hunters should check out this sleeper. From modest yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare, this blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc is bottled unfiltered by La Doyenne's conscientious producer. It can compete with wines costing five times as much!