Stephen Brook:Very deep plum-red. Splendid nose, voluptuous, spicy, and oaky, showing a lot of flesh despite a slight herbaceous edge; the bouquet leaps from the glass, but there is brooding fruit as well. Very rich, spicy, tannic, and vigorous, and it almost seems a touch coarse now, since the acidity is surprisingly assertive. This has a lot of volume for Pichon Lalande. Highly concentrated and persistent, this is not the most elegant of wines and is unusually virile, and thus reflects the vintage more than the Pichon style, but still a very good wine. Good length.