Tim Atkin : Signs of development, with a brownish edge to the youthful purple colour. Attractive, green-pepper nose, showing more of a cool-clim ate character than some examples. No mistaking the variety here, with its attractive, almost plump cassis and herbal notes. The oak is sensitively done, interwoven with a ripe, almost sumptuous palate. The alcohol is on the high side, but it works well in the context of the wine. 17

Oz Clarke: Fairly good red, the nose is dominated by oak and there’s a touch of the Coonawarra meat-and-peas savouriness too. On the palate, pretty oaky stuff - unnecessarily so, I’d have thought, since the fruit texture is fairly lush, yet there is a green streak that perhaps they’re trying to cover up. It finishes all creamy oak and not unattractive, but revealing green-streaked fruit. The oak is a positive cloak of mocha, coffee, chocolate. Too much for me, though the wine is a pretty decent glass of grog. 17

Michael Schuster: Youthful black red; dumb, oaky blackcurrant to smell; concentrated, full-bodied wine with a firm tannin and a firm acidity too; strong cassis flavour surrounded by a firm frame of tannin and acid; more intensity than complexity, good length - will need plenty of time. 15.5