Nicolas Belfrage: Oak comes through on the nose. The wine is a little diffuse in the mouth, lacking real concentration. The same hollowness is on the finish, and the tannins show through. Quite acceptable, but not special. 12

Stephen Brook: Fairly deep red. Ripe, elegant, discreet cherry nose, withatouch of mint. Medium-bodied, supple and rounded, but not flabby. Good tannin and acidity, quite concentrated. Peppery aftertaste. A touch lean on the finish, and demands food. Quite good length. 15

Alison Buchanan: Deeply coloured with a garnet rim. Sweaty saddles and brine. Actually, on the palate this is a rather seductive balance of modern and classic. Well extracted, with good balance. This doesn’t have oomph, but it is fine. 17.5