Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: The volume is rich, ample, suave, and classy, with wonderfully refined tannins and beautiful, distinguished length: a noble and classy wine. More comfort in the mouth than freshness, it is a large and intense wine, with velvety tannins and generous length. 18.5

John Gilman: A very ripe wine that is already brutally astringent from the combination of wood tannins and skin tannins; one of the driest, most out-of-balance wines that I tasted on the Right Bank. Despite the late harvest (September 28 to October 21), the nose is quite deftly crafted and exotic, offering up scents of black cherries, mocha, cigar smoke, a touch of toasted marshmallow, and very classy new oak. On the palate, the wine is deep, full-bodied, sappy, and very polished on the attack, with a thick core of fruit but a searingly dry, out-of-balance, and harshly tannic finish. At least the wine is not overtly hot on the back end. I would try to chew through it on the early side, rather than wait in the hopes that the tannins will soften. 8/9?

Michael Schuster: Intense, almost raisiny ripe to smell; elegantly balanced, full without being heavy, a concentrated core of very pure fruit within the characteristically firm, dry, oak-tannin-dominated texture. Long across the palate, a sort of warm and spicy black-cherry flavor, and lightly mineral-tinged long, warm finish. Considerable finesse, fresh and harmonious in its style. But as usual, I wish there were less oak-tannin dryness. 2020–30+. 16.5/17.5