Simon Field: Incredibly dense colour, Zuberan in serious mode. Magisterial nose with plenty of character; joie de vivre, but a serious side too. Violets, hints of liquorice and sousbois, only a hint of surmaturite. On the palate, the wine is densely tannic, even more inscrutable. There is real concentration here - a wine that belies the vintage and stamps a real and effortless authority. 17

Richard Mayson: An unusual nose: strangely perfumed, slightly singed. Quite opulent and voluptuous in the mouth, with some tight peppery tannins. Tight pe pp ery length. Odd, but not unattractive. 15.5

Jancis Robinson: Purplish crimson. Robust, heartfelt wine rather than anything terrifically sophisticated. Great blustering impact. Bit of a Bruce Guimaraens/Nicolas Soames wine in terms of the impression it makes. Pretty inky tannins underneath. Difficult not to like. Quite marked acidity. 16