Stephen Brook: Opaque red. Sweet, ripe, chocolaty nose, a tad overripe; plums, blackberries, toasty oak. Rich and dense, but exuberant, too; solid black fruits, charred oak, quite chocolaty. Assertive but not too extracted; has vigor and presence and a certain minerality; good length. Modern-style St-Emilion. 17.5

Andrew Jefford: Saturated dark red; some opacity still. Warm, rich, creamy yet earthy; voluptuous, lush, and enticing. Very good. Splendid meaty depth and length, lots of earth and power. Absolutely top flight. Nothing caricaturial; splendidly judged ripeness, taken from nature just at the perfect point when summer’s gifts are at their peak but before there is any ebbing into overripeness. Wonderful perfumes of warm fruit dominate the aftertaste. Supremely sensually appealing. Great third-terrace Pomerol? 18.5

Hugh Johnson: Even. Fresh and sleek. Dense, extracted, even thick; toasted oak, very little charm. Clinging rather than giving. 13