Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: Not as fresh on the nose as the Lagrange sample but highly impressive on the palate, displaying palpable body, generous, tight-knit texture and mouth-filling tannins with an almost Pauillac-like whiff of Havana tobacco. A wine of great substance – wonderfully complete. 17.5

Margaret Rand: More concentration and weight than its sibling; it’s altogether richer, spicier and weightier, with more depth and stuffing. Very long and complex. 17.5

Michael Schuster: Black red. Dense, ripe, minerally blackcurrant fruit to smell. Beautifully balanced, concentrated middleweight with a relatively fleshy core for the vintage, a fresh acidity and a fine, firm tannin. Very ripe, cassis-like fruit to taste, but close-grained and complex, too; mouth-coating without being heavy, and long across the palate and finish. A fine combination of ripe Cabernet, Médoc minerals and overall harmony of texture and flavour. Very classy St-Julien. 16.5/17