Stephen Browett: A dark color. Warmth and richness on the spicy nose. The palate is initially sumptuous and sexy, with a cloak of decadent vanilla enveloping the body. A good core of black fruit. Fabulous texture. In fact, for some tasters, this was their favorite wine. Scored second overall, and a winner at half the price of the other Médoc first growths. 17.5

Andrew Jefford: Deep, dark, black red. Lovely, sweet, elegant, floral refinement; sexy, accessible, head-turning refinement. Great wealth and depth and power; stylistically, very arresting and charming, and again wonderful acidity, fruit purity, and tannic grain. Magnificent harmony and disposition. Drinking in 10+ years.

Michael Schuster: Dark red, narrow rim; very cedary, and something slightly herbal to smell here, a touch of greenness, maybe from the heavy extraction; medium-full, quite concentrated, but with a very chewy texture round a moderate scope, and marked both by the wood tannin, and the new oak vanilla aromas; overly tough, and modest in complexity and scope for its first growth status. Not a happy balance, unlikely ever to be really nice. Tastes and feels overworked for the nature of the fruit; as though trying too hard. This doesn’t seem like an intelligent vinification of this tricky vintage. Good core fruit, and toasty oak, but just too extracted. I don’t know when this will be good to drink. 16.5