Stephen Brook: Opaque red. Dumb nose. Very rich, massive, concentrated, powerful, super-ripe but not jammy. Very much the Mondotte style, though it’s perhaps surprising that it’s retained its hallmarks in such a difficult year. There is even some freshness here, and the tannins are ripe and not extracted. Less persistent than usual, but a formidable wine, true to itself and undeniably impressive in its rather sweet, blockbusterish way. 17.5

Stephen Browett: Very deep color, in fact absolutely black. An extraordinary nose of black truffles. Very distinctive. Stunning density, very, very sexy and although fabulously opulent it manages to avoid jamminess. Low acidity, a decadent fruit bomb with double cream. This was a real jury-splitter. 17

Michael Schuster: Black red; densely ripe, blackberry fruit to smell, promising a most seductive bouquet; well balanced, rich, fleshy wine with a firm, but well covered tannin; a clear “hot” year flavor here, a touch spirity, faintly raisiny, abundant fruit, but lacking complexity; overall, potent and a bit four square, with the strong, woody tannins emerging clearly on the finish. Quite persistent, but overall a bit clumsy. Good, if you like the style and can ignore the tannin. Needs time, but will the fruit hold up? From 2013. 16?