Simon Field: Impressive glossy colour, tawny on the rim. Clean, elegant nose, leather and spice, with intimations of breeding. On the palate, quite an explosion of ripe fruit (faithful to the vintage), kirsch and hints of toffee. A confident, balanced wine, more subtle than at first blush, more concentrated than it first appears, with eloquent tightly knit tannins, and a stentorian self-belief. Lovely sweet persistent palate: a very good example. 18

Andrew Jefford: Good deep appearance here: Fonseca aside, the 1980s seem to be holding well. Serious, complex, close-meshed, still with enticing fresh fruits. Real kirsch cherry is winking from behind the curtain. Dense, full, still relatively youthful, with lovely pure cherry fruits and truly impressive tannic support. Not yet fully mature if you’re an old English buffer, but for barbarians like me this is the moment that I love to drink Port, while it still has a little Dionysian exuberance and textural grip. Excellent. 18

Richard Mayson: Deep centre, ruby rim. Rather stewed aromas - stewed plums initially, but opening up to reveal earthy purity. Soft, ripe voluptuous fruit, sweet but a little soupy. Big and round with ripe tannins and a lovely vibrant finish. Drink now and over the next 15 years. 14.5