Simon Field: A slightly dusty profile, lacking a little brio maybe; a suspicion confirmed on the nose, which lacks a little definition. The palate is amorphous, a little heady, raisin, overripe plums and a hint of surmaturité, maybe. A good, if not great, example from a vintage that can be either good or great: QED. | 88

Andrew Jefford: Dark black-red, but not opaquely so, and so a lighter color than most of its peers. Quite a brandied aroma, which is to say perhaps inadequately covered by the fruit at this stage. Actually, bottle 1 was corked. Bottle 2: Better, but rather dry and featureless, and the palate is rather dry and featureless, too—definitely not up to Vintage Port standards in terms of the wealth and breadth of fruit. | 79

Richard Mayson: Deep, though not as deep as some of the ’07s, with a broad, purple rim; open, with lovely berry fruit aromas, quite simple in context, but with lovely, pure, berry fruit, open and accessible, spiked with firm tannin and a lovely, pure finish. Not a long keeper but a lovely wine nonetheless. Drink now (just) and over the next 20 or so years. | 86