Nicolas Belfrage: Deepish colour compared with the '96. A little quiet on the nose, floral hints but no great presence. Comparatively backward on the palate, with less concentration and charm than the '97, as expected of the vintage. Slight hollowness on the mid-palate begs the question of how it will develop. 14

Simon Larkin : A skinny dark-fruited aromatic that is quite off-putting. The palate equally shows some stewy plum/cherry qualities and little precision. An average offering, with modest depth and freshness, deserving little praise in terms of purity. Does not convince at present, though there seems to be a deep core of fruit behind. Lack of expression merits only a medium score. 14