I had this wine for the first and only time in 1990, and it was a revelation. Most 1973s were in serious decline by the end of that decade, but this wine, drunk with a friend in Bordeaux, was still a deep ruby color, with only a slight amber edge. The explosively intense bouquet of plums, smoky vanillin oak, and minerals was delightful. In the mouth, it was pure velvet, with sweet, expansive, ripe fruit, and a long, heady, alcoholic finish. Can this really be a 1973? The best wine made on the left bank of Bordeaux in 1973! Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 4/90.