Readers can expect greatly improved wines from this perennial underachiever now that Andre Lurton (of La Louviere in Graves) is responsible for all critical decisions regarding harvesting, winemaking, and bottling. The 1993 is the finest Dauzac I have tasted, with an almost black color, a sweet, rich nose of cassis, licorice, and toasty oak. The wine is pure, impressively extracted, medium-bodied, moderately-tannic, and has excellent balance. This should be one 1993 that ages well for 20 years, but has the requisite depth and ripeness of fruit to balance out the wine's structure. My instincts suggest this wine will be at its best between 2002-2020. Most readers will also admire the attractive new label.

More ripe fruit than in many '93s, offering red berry, plum, tobacco and chocolate flavors, medium body and nice, silky tannins. Try in 1999. -