Michael Schuster: Plenty of 'fat' fruit to smell; richly concentrated, full-bodied and firm, with a muscular tannic frame; long, even, complex, fine and fleshy under the sinews, but an overall solidity that will need plenty of time - and that perhaps detracts a little from its overall harmony? 16.5

Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: Silky mouthfeel, neat fruit, fine balance, tight but delicate texture. Oak fermentation certainly has something to do with it but, once again. Barton shows up remarkably well for such a young wine, with deep colour, thoroughbred aromas of liquorice and spice and a particularly creamy, velvety texture that is all the more remarkable given the taut tannins characteristic of this vintage. All this, plus superb length and class make this a worthy successor to the 2000 vintage - and to our eyes, even more accomplished. 19