Stephen Brook: Opaque red. Dense, brooding, black-fruit nose, almost thuggish in its reluctance to charm. Very rich, bold, full-bodied, highly concentrated, almost earthy. This packs a punch, as Pauillac should. But, mirabile dictu, there is nothing heavy-handed or excessively extracted about the wine. There’s massive fruit here, cradled in a surprisingly discreet tannic structure. It may lack a little finesse, but in all other respects this is admirable. Should age effortlessly. Very long. 18.5

Andrew Jefford: Dense black-red; still opaque. Very attractive, with an unusual note of ripeness and mellowness in this vintage. Even a hint of chocolate—very un-2004. Oak plays a happy role here. Full, lush, and voluptuous, but with a sturdy backbone too. Not the overall fruited width of a great vintage, of course, nor the finishing concentration, but plenty for the students of the cru to get stuck into. The hard vineyard work in getting it all ripe will leave a legacy of happiness in the drinking community: This is a sunny 2004, but with that serious extractive undertow to lend depth and seriousness. 16

Michael Schuster: Crisply ripe blackcurrant Cabernet; firm, well-balanced, muscular Pauillac with a very firm tannin but also plenty of fruit behind the tannic frame. Sweet, spicy, complex, and aromatic, and with abundant flavor and great, spicy length. Fine Pauillac; an austere wine for the moment but promising much in the long term. 2016–30+. 17+