Michael Schuster: Inky-black red; dense and sweet to smell; solid, muscular, concentrated, tannic; rich, strong, ripe, drily tannic wine. Impressive? Yes. Does it taste like St-Emilion? No. Will I want to drink it? Doubtful... 16?

Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: Positively sumptuous and, for us, the wine that came closest to the Ausone in terms of fulsome substance, mouth-filling volume and tannic texture. We shudder to think what anyone who finds it too opulent today will have to say in 20 years time! 18