Simon Field: Raw, edgy, intense, dark, muscular, profound... the descriptors come thick and fast as one attempts to settle on rigorous analysis. All well considered, this is a powerful, almost foursquare example, the self-evident charms of its ripeness almost slipping into parody, its fundamental honesty holding the edifice intact and presaging fascinating development. | 89

Andrew Jefford: Deep, dark, and saturated black-red. Sweet, warm, comforting, and animal, like snuggling down next to a calf for the night. There’s also some peppery freshness there, too, and a little tea-leaf finesse. Powerful and enticing. On the palate, this is a hugely impressive 2003, with poised and balanced fruits (there’s even some fresh blackcurrant here) riding on a deep tide of dense tannins and extracts. Wealthy, ample, firm, still very young, brandied in the finish, exuberant. Whoever made this wine must still try it, alone in the cellar, on dark November nights after everyone else has left and think, “Wow, will I ever make a wine like this again?” Sensational stuff. Don’t miss! | 95

Richard Mayson: Very deep, opaque, and youthful in hue; lovely, open, berry-fruit aromas, floral character already emerging on the nose, yet still quite tight-knit with more to give; firm, tight-knit initially, lean and hollow on the palate, with a hint of cardboard and a rather short finish. The nose is quite promising, but it doesn’t live up to this on the palate at this stage. | 80