Simon Field: Elegant colouring, clear and delineated. On the nose, pure yet full of hedonistic spirit and attractive secondary fruit characters, with hints of pepper and spice in the wings. The palate is quite soft, slightly indulgent and lacks the real purity of the nose. Seductive for now and probably for later on, too. 17

Andrew Jefford: This has lost its opacity already but has a sound black-purple hue overall. Fresh and lively, elegant, a touch herbal (perhaps a little early for this); lacks some focus. Vivid, soft, pleasant, but slightly jammy and inconsequential. Not a long-term contender. 12

Richard Mayson: Good mid-deep youthful colour. Ripe, powerful and withdrawn on the nose, which still has to give, but there is something slightly green underlying. Firm, tight-knit, but still slightly green fruit. It needs time but will be impressive, with a powerful tannic backbone and a long but quite austere finish. More 1987 than '8 5.15