A massive, powerful Angelus, this wine exhibits a saturated black/ruby/purple color as well as an impressively-endowed nose of dried herbs, roasted meats, new saddle leather, plum liqueur, and cassis. In the mouth, olive notes make an impression. This sweet, full-bodied, exceptionally concentrated wine is atypically backward and ferociously tannic. It was revealing more sweetness and forwardness immediately prior to bottling, but I would now recommend 7-8 years of cellaring. Anticipated Maturity: 2007-2025.

Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 22 April 1999

Tasted at Farr Vintners' vertical from ex-chateau magnum. Noticeably deep in colour, the 1996 has quite a generous, slightly muffled bouquet when compared to say, the 1998. Macerated red cherries, raspberry, cedar and a touch of cough mixture. The palate is medium-bodied, building nicely in the mouth with the Cabernet Franc defining the finish. Quite masculine, perhaps reserved to what I was expecting, but nicely composed. It still lacks something in the middle and I find the 1995 far better. Tasted October 2011.

Neal Martin - Wine Journal Mar 2012